The Pina Colada is one of those drinks that by itself can make you feel like it’s summer time when it’s not, or like your on a beach in Caribbean. We owe thanks for this simple drink Puerto Rico. Specifically, most people believe that it was invented in 1954 at the Caribe Hilton. The debate on who created it usually comes down to bartender Ramon “Monchito” Marrero or Ricardo Gracia.
While there is not much of a story to the drink being invented by Ramon Marrero there is a unique story around Ricardo Gracia. According to an interview that Gracia gave to Coastal Living magazine in 2005 the he created the drink due to a strike by coconut cutters in Puerto Rico. According to his story the bar served a mixed drink of rum, cream of coconut, and crushed ice in a cut coconut. Due to the shortage in coconuts he started to pour the drink into a cut pineapple. Bar goers liked the drink in a pineapple so he decided to add strained pineapple juice to the rum and cream of coconut and thus the birth of the Pina Colada.
I have a recipe I like for smooth and creamy Pina Coladas that I will share with you now. Most people will put 2 cups of ice into their Pina Colada but I like to use 1 cup of ice and 1 cup of frozen pineapple instead. The reason is that as the ice melts it usually dilutes the drink, however, by substituting one of the cups of ice with frozen pineapple you create a smooth and creamy drink that doesn’t get diluted as the ice melts.
Ingredients:
3 oz. rum
4 oz. cream of coconut (coco Lopez)
4 oz. pineapple juice
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup ice
Directions:
- Pour all ingredients into a blender.
- Mix on high until the ice is all blended and the drink is the consistency of a smoothie.
- Pour into a tulip shaped cup (also called a hurricane cup), garnish with a slice of pineapple and cherry.
- Enjoy!
Instead of using Coco Lopez you can make your own cream of coconut by clicking on this link. https://mylowcountryliving.net/home-made-coconut-cream-diy-version-of-coco-lopez/