Hoja Santa Paloma Recipe

Make syrup

Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar fully dissolves and mixture just comes to a simmer.

Add 10 hoja santa leaves (torn or roughly chopped) to the simmering syrup, reduce heat to low, and steep gently for 8–10 minutes. The syrup should pick up herbaceous, anise-like notes; do not boil vigorously.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 tsp fresh lime zest if using. Let the leaves steep in the hot syrup for another 10 minutes off the heat to deepen flavor.

Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean jar, pressing gently on leaves to extract liquid. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Yields about 1 cup. Keep refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Prepare the rim: on a small plate, combine 1 tsp sal de gusano with a pinch of additional ground dried chile if desired. Pour 1/2 tsp agave nectar on another small plate.

Wet the rim of the custom cantarito or highball glass with a lime wedge or dip briefly into the agave nectar so the sal de gusano will adhere evenly.

Dip the wet rim into the sal de gusano mixture, rotating to coat fully. Set glass aside.

Place the 2 thin cucumber slices into a cocktail shaker (or a mixing glass). Add 0.75 oz fresh lime juice and 0.75 oz hoja santa syrup.

Gently muddle the cucumber with the syrup and lime juice 4–6 times—enough to release cucumber juices and aromatics but not to puree it. The hoja santa syrup will blend with cucumber flavor.

Add 2 oz Sombra Joven Mezcal to the shaker, then fill the shaker with ice (large cubes preferred) and shake vigorously for 8–10 seconds to chill and dilute slightly.

Fill the rimmed cantarito with fresh ice (large cubes or crushed, depending on presentation). Strain the shaken mixture into the prepared cantarito over the ice.

Top gently with 3 oz chilled Topo Chico to add effervescence. Stir once gently with a bar spoon to integrate.

Garnish with a small hoja santa leaf tucked into the drink or a lime wheel on the rim. Optionally thread a thin cucumber ribbon for visual layering.

Serve immediately with a straw. Encourage the drinker to sip through the sal de gusano rim to experience the complementary savory-salty-chili flavors with each effervescent sip.