For years, this classic drink served as the poster-child of the blender phenomenon, a symbolic representation of cruises and poolside bars. The tropical cocktail debuted as early as 1952 when first crafted by Ramon Perez, the head mixologist of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Caribe Hilton, and has successfully satisfied Tiki stand aficionados and vacationers ever since.
Most fortunately, Perez blended a winner, and the beverage spread its way into American shores and other regions of the Caribbean over the years. Furthermore, it has since become the national cocktail of Puerto Rico. A harmonious mix of lime juice, coconut, pineapple, and rum, the Piña Colada is a perfect companion at both home and on the beach.
Monchito Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.8 fl oz Cream of Coconut
- 5.7 fl oz Pineapple Juice
- 1.5 fl oz White Rum
Instructions
- Pour into a shaker or blender with crushed ice, mix until smooth.
- Place the mix into a chilled glass using either a maraschino cherry or pineapple wedge for the garnish.
For those who wish to design their own spin on this beloved drink, different core ingredient proportions, as well as alternative forms of rum, may all be implemented. Other variations include the following:
- Amaretto Colada (replacing rum with amaretto)
- Chi Chi (replacing the rum with vodka)
- Lava Flow (a combination of the Piña Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri)
- Pinata Colada (aka Virgin Colada, defined as a Piña Colada without any alcohol)
- Kiwi Colada (replacing pineapple juice with kiwifruit)
- Soda Colada (replacing coconut milk with soda)
- Kahlua Colada (replacing the rum with coffee liqueur)
- Scotsman Colada (replacing the rum with scotch)
- Staten Island Ferry (replacing cream of coconut with Malibu Coconut Rum and pineapple juice)
- Caribou Lou (higher proof alcohol mixed with two forms of rum)
Puerto Rican Piña Colada Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 fl oz Heavy Cream
- 6 fl oz Pineapple Juice from frozen and freshly pressed fruit
- 1 fl oz Cream of Coconut
- 2 fl oz Any flavor of Rum
Instructions
- Mix into a blender and use either a maraschino cherry or pineapple wedge for the garnish. It is critical to freeze the pineapple juice before usage.
National Piña Colada Day is celebrated each year in the United States on July 10. Despite its initial spread outside of the territory of Puerto Rico, the drink became an international sensation after the 1979 pop music hit “Escape” by singer/songwriter Rupert Holmes. Additionally, that same year, jazz icon Chuck Mangione released a similar song named after the drink.
Although you can implement Spiced Rum for the recipe to substitute the standard, it adds an even greater bite when you implement real herbs on top of your beverage. One such example includes Jirie’s All-Island Seasoning, a spice that lacks the heat but packs all the flavor hand blended with cayenne pepper.
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