If you like piña coladas and… karaoke music – then you now have a song stuck in your head. Well, at least two lines of that song are floating around in your head. And, full disclosure – I was momentarily convinced that said song was by Jimmy Buffet, then thanks to Wikipedia realized he was more of a margarita fan. Sorry Rupert Holmes. So, happy National Piña Colada Day (July 10 every year), which is apparently a bigger ordeal on the islands than here in the continental US.
The piña colada is one of those drinks that has become adulterated to the extent that it’s despised. Piña colada is translated as “strained pineapple”, and in addition to the original version being made with fresh ingredients, it shares another aspect that is all too common among classic cocktails. The origin story and original creator of the drink is highly disputed, in this case between two Puerto Rican bartenders. Considering that it’s the national drink of Puerto Rico, I’d say it’s worthy of some dispute.
Despite the seemingly odd inclusion of heavy cream and bitters, this is a simple cocktail to make. I used Lakewood Organic Coconut Juice
Cheers!
Piña Colada
Ingredients
- ½ cup ice
- 1 cup fresh cut pineapple
- 2 ounces white rum
- 1½ ounces coconut juice
- ½ ounce heavy whipping cream
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a tall glass, ideally a hurricane glass.
- Garnish with a cherry and pineapple wedge.
Computer Wallpaper Photo Credit: Paul Toogood (Flickr)
