Put A Little Pep In Your Paloma

I came up with this cocktail while I was on vacation in Joshua tree late last year. Three whole days with out my children or husband, it was a dream, but I digress. For some reason this felt like the perfect pool-side beverage, and besides I had all of the ingredients. 

This is a pretty basic riff on a classic Paloma, I think I quite literally wanted to spice it up, and black pepper seemed the perfect accompaniment for the peppery tequila. One of my favorite parts of this drink is the low-key burn from the black pepper simple syrup. My other fave part is the Rimmer, so easy to make and incredibly tasty, just mix together the four ingredients until you like the ratios and you set!

Black Pepper Paloma
2 oz.  tequila blanco
2 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. black pepper simple syrup
Soda

Rimmer
Pink Himalayan salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Sugar
Grapefruit zest

Combine all ingredients, except the soda, in a shaker with ice and shake until chilled and diluted. Rim a highball glass with the rimmer.  Strain into glass and top with soda, give it a gentle stir and garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

Black pepper simple syrup
2 tbsp. Sugar
2 tbsp. Water
1/2 tsp. Cracked black pepper

Cheers!