Sunrise Rum Punch

This post is sponsored by CAPTAIN MORGAN®.

I've been fantasizing about a tropical vacation for as long as I can remember. In my mind, it's white sand beaches, turquoise blue water, and palm trees. It's brilliant sunshine, fresh fish and seafood, tropical fruit out the wazoo, and cocktails from dusk 'til dawn...'til dusk again. It's not worrying about bills or schedules or deadlines. Who's with me?

So, when the Captain Morgan team challenged me to create an original Rum Punch recipe using one of the three new Captain Morgan Flavors – Grapefruit, Pineapple and Coconut, as part of their #SunsOutRumsOut campaign, I'll bet you can guess which direction I headed. Mmm hmm—to those white sand beaches.

Paloma Cocktail {I'll Drink to That}

Who else is beyond ready to sip chug sip cold cocktails under a warm sun?  I'm trying my hardest to shake off winter, and apparently so is Mother Nature.  I've had to cave a few times and turn on the heat at night.  Thirty-eight degrees is cold no matter what the calendar says.

Last night was a whole different beast, however.  Slanting rain was coming down with such a fierceness that I thought I was going to wake up to a pock-marked awning.  And I loved every single minute of it.  Plus, as a bonus, there were a few added rumbles of thunder.  I love me some thunderstorms.  It's also not so bad waking up to temps in the low-50's.

But as much as I love a rainy night (and honestly a rainy day, or three), there's just something craveable about the calming effect of sunshine on my shoulders.  Yes, sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy.  And it's true, sunshine in my eyes can make me cry.  Sunshine on the water does look so lovely.  Sunshine almost always makes me high.

You can call me a folk-lovin' hippie if you like.  John Denver and I?  We would've gotten along just fine.

So when a few tenacious rays of warmth battle their way successfully through the Spring haze, what do I do?  I pour myself a cocktail and enjoy it.  What would you do?

Paloma Cocktail

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: beverage tequila alcohol Cinco de Mayo Dia de los Muertos Mexican

Ingredients (varies)

single cocktail:

• 2 oz. Piedra Azul Blanco Tequila (or similar)
• .5 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 6 oz. grapefruit soda (Toronja, Squirt, etc.)

for a larger batch:

• 1.5 c. Piedra Azul Blanco Tequila (or similar)
• 4 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 48 oz. grapefruit soda (Toronja, Squirt, etc.)

for the rim and garnish (optional):

• coarse salt
• lime wheel or wedge

Instructions

for a single cocktail:

Stir tequila and lime juice together and pour into a glass over ice. Top off with grapefruit soda.

to make a large batch (~6 servings):

Stir tequila and lime juice together. Fill a pitcher with ice and pour the mixture over the top. Top off with grapefruit soda.

rimming and garnishing:

If you'd like, place the salt on a small plate. Before filling a glass with ice or pouring in the cocktail, wet the rim and dip it in the salt. Add ice and cocktail to salted glass. Garnish with a wheel or wedge of lime (or grapefruit).

This cocktail would make a great addition to your Cinco de Mayo festivities this year.  One pitcher of Margaritas, one pitcher Palomas.  Sounds muy bueno.

I received a free bottle of Piedra Azul Tequila to do with as I pleased. I received no compensation to mention them. All opinions stated in this post are my own.