Piña Colada

The Piña Colada — Spanish for "strained pineapple" — is rum, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice, blended with ice into a creamy tropical frost. Multiple Puerto Rican bars claim its invention — most prominently the Caribe Hilton (Ramón "Monchito" Marrero, 1954, the version officially recognized by Puerto Rico's governor in 2004) and Barrachina (Ramón Portas Mingot, 1963) — with no documented record settling the question. It is the official drink of Puerto Rico, unapologetically rich, sweet, and entirely committed to the vacation it suggests.

Cream of Coconut

The single most important ingredient is cream of coconut — a sweetened, thick coconut product, not the same thing as unsweetened coconut milk or coconut water. It gives the drink its body, its sweetness, and its silk.

Pineapple juice supplies the bright acidity that keeps all that richness from becoming cloying. Fresh juice is best; a good chilled juice works well enough.

Blend It Smooth

Combine the rum, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice with a generous scoop of crushed ice and blend until completely smooth — it should pour thick and hold a soft peak.

Too much ice makes it watery and bland; too little leaves it heavy. Serve in a tall glass or a hurricane, with a wedge of pineapple and a cherry. A light-rum base keeps it clean; a float of dark rum on top adds depth.

Variations