NØLO Recipe: Saint Heck Sumac Paloma

This zero-proof Paloma is tart, citrusy, lightly salty, and ridiculously refreshing. Saint Heck’s Sumac brings a bright, tangy botanical backbone, grapefruit soda adds bittersweet sparkle, and fresh lime keeps everything crisp. 

The finishing touch is homemade grapefruit citrus salt. It takes almost no effort, requires no special skill, and brings the drink to "wow, you're a mixologist!" territory. 

The Story

Saint Heck Sumac already has tart, deeply citrusy character that makes it a great fit for a Paloma. Add grapefruit soda, fresh lime juice, and plenty of ice, and you get an easy highball bright enough for a sunny patio hang AND interesting enough to serve at dinner.

But do not skip the salted rim.

Zest a grapefruit, and let the zest dry overnight. Mix it with good sea salt, and give the flavors a day or so to get acquainted. That tiny bit of planning adds fresh grapefruit aroma to every sip. It tastes much harder to make than it is. 

Lazy Barkeep Translation: it's the easiest of upgrades with an outsized return.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Saint Heck Sumac
• 4–6 oz grapefruit soda
• ½ oz fresh lime juice
• Grapefruit citrus salt, for the rim
• Grapefruit or lime wedge, for garnish
• Ice

Grapefruit Citrus Salt

• Zest of 1 grapefruit
• Fleur de sel or another good-quality sea salt

Spread the grapefruit zest on a small plate or piece of parchment and leave it uncovered overnight, until dry.

Mix the dried zest with enough sea salt to create a fragrant, evenly flecked citrus salt. Transfer it to an airtight container and let it rest for a day or so before serving.

Store any extra citrus salt in the airtight container for future Palomas or anything else that could benefit from a little salty grapefruit magic.

Make the Drink

Run a lime or grapefruit wedge around the rim of a tall glass, then dip the rim into the grapefruit citrus salt.

Fill the glass generously with ice. Add the Saint Heck Sumac and fresh lime juice, then top with 4–6 oz grapefruit soda, depending on how light and bubbly you like it.

Stir gently and garnish with a grapefruit or lime wedge. 

Sumac is one of the many, many plants that grow well in Western North Carolina. It epitomizes what life in the Blue Ridge is all about: beautiful, wild, bright, and complex. Cheers to that!