Piña Colada
The Piña Colada is easily one of the most recognizable (and wildly inconsistent) tropical cocktails. Depending on how it is prepared and the ingredients used, the flavor and consistency of the cocktail can differ quite significantly. At it’s best, the Piña Colada will remind you of a beach island getaway, however, more often than not, it’s probably more reminiscent of the premix-slushee slung at the poolside bar. This cocktail is built primarily on a foundation of cream of coconut and pineapple juice. Unless you are making your own cream of coconut, I recommend using either Coco Reàl or Coco Lopez to provide the essential coconut flavor in addition to giving the cocktail the proper consistency. That being said, in hopes to help avoid confusion, cream of coconut and coconut cream are not the same thing! In addition to the pineapple juice, pineapple gum syrup is a flavorful binding agent that not only adds sweetness, but more pineapple flavor. This iteration of the Piña Colada (modeled after the one crafted at The Slanted Door in San Francisco) provides a much-needed balance to the sweetness when fresh lime juice is added. Since this version of the cocktail is shaken (not blended), you will want to pour it over crushed ice. Finally, don’t forget to garnish your Piña Colada… though it is not your typical garnish, a dusting of freshly grated nutmeg and a couple skewered maraschino cherries across the top is quite delicious. But don’t take my word for it, make one and try it for yourself!
Piña Colada
In your shaker, combine the pineapple gum syrup, lime juice, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and light rum.
0.5 oz of Pineapple Gum Syrup
0.75 oz of Lime Juice
1 oz of Pineapple Juice
1.5 oz of Cream of Coconut
2 oz of Light Rum
Add crushed to your shaker and shake until a frost develops. Next, pour the contents (including the ice) into your Collins glass and top with additional crushed ice. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg, pineapple wedge, and maraschino cherries.
TIP(S):
Making your own crushed ice — place your ice cubes in either a lewis bag or dish towel and breaking it up with a mallet until reduced to hunks and shards.
