Taste the tropics with a Pina Colada Cocktail

A taste of tropical paradise, the Pina Colada Cocktail is one I think must never again go out of fashion. It’s refreshing and summery and perfect for drinking on a beach in balmy weather.

Scroll past the recipe to read more about this Puerto Rican taste of paradise.

Pina Colada Cocktail

Recipe by Marti CuattCourse: Cocktail hourDifficulty: Easy

Makes

1

tall glass

Make in

5

minutes

You will need

• 60 ml white rum

• 45 ml coconut cream

• 45 ml fresh pineapple juice

• 15 ml fresh lime juice

• 1 cup crushed ice

• Optional

• 50 ml pure pouring cream

Here’s what to do

• In a blender
• Add all ingredients to the bowl of a blender and whizz up until nice and mixed.
• Strain over ice into a tall glass and garnish with a wedge of pineapple and some pineapple leaves.
• In a shaker
• Add all ingredients except ice and shake for about 15 seconds.
• Remove the lid and add the ice, then shake again.
• Shaking with ice first may freeze the coconut cream and it will be lumpy. You don’t want that.

Tips and tricks

Now Let’s Toast the Pina Colada

According to Liquor.com’s article, titled The History and Secrets of the Piña Colada, there’s more than one story behind this taste of the tropics, but there seems to be no doubt in its Puerto Rican origins.

Some say it was months in the making before its 1952 debut by one Ramon Marrero Perez, the head barman for the Caribe Hilton in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. But the Barrachina, also in Old San Juan, disagrees, having mounted an etched plaque on the building façade that claims their man Ramon Portas Mingot mixed the first heady rum-based blend in 1963.

Amy Zavatto

Despite conflicting stories, in 1978, the Piña Colada was declared the official drink of Puerto Rico (source: bevvy.co). Can’t argue with that!

The best ingredients for a Pina Colade Cocktail

Nothing beats fresh, so for my Pina Colada Cocktail, I prefer to juice fresh pineapple and, if I have time, I make fresh coconut cream. The one limitation is I don’t always have access to fresh coconut, but shredded organic works okay too.

Making your own coconut cream takes time: for it to soak, blend, strain and cool enough to separate. This means making it the day before. As I don’t always do this, additive free organic tinned coconut cream is the alternative.

For the rum, I really like using Plantation Rum – Three Stars White Rum is my choice for this drink. You can use any rum, but Plantation is smooth and doesn’t dominate the overall cocktail.

Remember, if you make this or any of my recipes, make sure you rate, comment and tag @theinfatuatedfoodie on Instagram.