Piña colada

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This drink is designated as an
IBA Official Cocktail
Piña colada
Type: Cocktail
Primary alcohol by volume:
Served: Blended with ice ("frozen" style)
Standard garnish: pineapple slice and maraschino cherry
Standard drinkware:
Goblet
IBA specified ingredients:
Preparation: Mix with crushed ice until smooth. Pour into chilled glass, garnish and serve.

The piña colada (Spanish, strained pineapple: piña, pineapple + colada, strained) is a sweet, rum-based cocktail made with light rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice, usually served either blended or shaken with ice. It may be garnished with a pineapple wedge or a maraschino cherry. The piña colada is known as the official beverage of Puerto Rico.[1]

Contents

History

The earliest reference to a drink called a piña colada containing rum, coconut cream and pineapple juice, occurred in the April 16, 1950, edition of the New York Times:

Drinks in the West Indies range from Martinique's famous rum punch to Cuba's pina colada (rum, pineapple and coconut milk). Key West has a variety of lime swizzles and punches, and Granadians use nutmeg in their rum drinks.

The earliest known reference to a drink specifically called a piña colada is from TRAVEL magazine, December 1922:

But best of all is a piña colada, the juice of a perfectly ripe pineapple—a delicious drink in itself—rapidly shaken up with ice, sugar, lime and Bacardi rum in delicate proportions. What could be more luscious, more mellow and more fragrant?

Plaque in San Juan, Puerto Rico, commemorating Ramon Portas Mingot's creation of the beverage.
Plaque in San Juan, Puerto Rico, commemorating Ramon Portas Mingot's creation of the beverage.

The above quote describes a drink without coconut, as the piña colada was originally just the juice of a fresh pineapple served either strained (colada) or unstrained (sin colar). This evolved into a rum drink, and finally it changed into the drink we know today.

The Caribe Hilton Hotel in Puerto Rico claims that their bartender, Ramon "Monchito" Marrero created the piña colada on August 15, 1954 after spending 3 months perfecting the recipe. There is also a bar in Old San Juan that makes a similar claim.

Barrachina, a restaurant in Puerto Rico, also claims to be the birth place of the piña colada:

In 1963, on a trip to South America Mr Barrachina met another popular Spaniard and bartender Mr. Ramon Portas Mingot. Don Ramon has worked with the best places in Buenos Aires and associated with 'Papillon' the most luxurious bar in Carcao and was also recognized for his cocktail recipe books. Pepe Barrachina and Don Ramon developed a great relationship. While working as the main bartender at Barrachina (a restaurant in Puerto Rico), Ramon mixed pineapple juice, coconut cream, condensed milk and ice in a blender, creating a delicious and refreshing drink, known today as the Piña Colada.

The piña colada is mentioned in songs by Rupert Holmes, Sean Kingston, Garth Brooks, 10cc, Simon and Garfunkel, Steely Dan, Warren Zevon and Swollen Members.

Variations

  • Different proportions may be used. For example, 1 part rum, 2 each of pineapple juice and coconut cream
  • Dark rum may be used
  • Virgin piña colada or piñata colada - without the rum
  • Chi Chi - vodka substituted for rum
  • Miami Vice - 1/2 strawberry daiquiri poured over 1/2 piña colada (use frozen versions of each, and do not blend together)
  • Lava Flow - Strawberry daiquiri and piña colada blended together [2]
  • Amaretto colada - amaretto substituted for rum[3]

See also

Wikibooks
Wikibooks Bartending has a page on the topic of

References

  1. ^ "Celebrate Two of Mankind's Greatest Inventions". Retrieved on 2007-06-19.
  2. ^ "Lava Flow". Retrieved on 2007-06-20.
  3. ^ "[hhttp://www.bartender.com/2calendar/cal-2003/cal-0603.htm Frozen/Mixed - Amaretto Colada]". Retrieved on 2007-06-20.

Wikipedia content modification information:

  • This page was last modified on 23 August 2008, at 14:47.

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