Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Tequila & Mezcal Cocktails

Paloma Milk Punch

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Updated 05/16/21
A viscous, silky cocktail bubbles slightly as it is poured over a crystal-clear ice cube in an unadorned rocks glass. The drink sits on hard wood which fades into a pitch black background.

 R&D

This drink by Aaron Deary for Philadelphia’s R&D is textured, subtly herbal, fresh and vaguely familiar— a Paloma after a day of self-care. With tequila, hoja santa (a large Mexican leaf with peppery, herbaceous flavors), Chinese five spice, tarragon, grapefruit, coconut milk and club soda, he admits that calling it a Paloma is a bit of a stretch. And without spices, Deary says it wouldn’t be much of a milk punch either. Because, unlike the more traditional Clarified Milk Punch, this one contains no dairy. “It’s about taking something that people recognize and combining it with something they’ve never seen before,” he says.

Making the Paloma Milk Punch is a time-, ingredient- and labor-intensive process which includes making a tea from the hoja santa and tarragon, as well as cooking and clarifying the coconut milk with the rest of the punch. However, the work pays off—especially when entertaining—as you will be left with ten servings of an amazingly aromatic drink, a spicy and herbaceous Paloma with a silky-sweet mouthfeel.

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces blanco tequila

  • 3 ounces Giffard creme de pamplemousse rose liqueur

  • 1 1/2 ounces Ancho Reyes Verde chile liqueur

  • 7 1/2 ounces hoja santa and tarragon tea*

  • Spice mixture**

  • 4 1/2 ounces grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed

  • 4 1/2 ounces lime juice, freshly squeezed

  • 3 1/2 ounces coconut milk

  • Club soda, chilled, to top

Steps

Serves 10.

  1. In a large shallow container, combine tequila, creme de pamplemousse liqueur, Ancho Reyes Verde chile liqueur, hoja santa and tarragon tea* and spice mixture**. Infuse for 2 hours, then strain the spices. Return the liquid to the container.

  2. In a jug or container with a spout, combine the grapefruit juice and lime juice.

  3. Heat the coconut milk to 170 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring constantly. Transfer the hot coconut milk to a jug or container with a spout.

  4. Very slowly and simultaneously pour both the coconut milk and the citrus mixture over the entire surface of the punch. The coconut milk will break initially, then become cloudy. After 30 minutes, a layer of curds should form.

  5. Let the punch sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then transfer to a refrigerator for 1 hour.

  6. Strain the punch through a cheesecloth, then through a coffee filter or a Superbag, and refrigerate.

  7. Pour a 3-ounce serving into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.

  8. Top with club soda.

*Hoja santa and tarragon tea: Bring 1 liter of filtered water to a boil. Add 1 large hoja santa leaf and 5 tarragon sprigs, and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer then chill in an ice bath.

**Spice mixture: Toast 1 3/4 ounces cinnamon sticks, 1 ounce star anise pods, 1/3 ounce Szechuan peppercorns, 1/3 ounce whole cloves, 1 ounce green cardamom pods and 1/3 ounce fennel seeds in a pan over medium heat until fragrant, for no more than 5 minutes. (Start with the cinnamon and star anise, then add the rest, as they toast quickly.) Remove from heat and let cool.