Even people who are far from bar culture have heard about this legendary drink at least once in their lives. He is in the cocktail menu of reputable establishments on all continents, songs are written and poems are written in his honor. We are talking about a Pina Colada cocktail, which can be easily made at home in 2-3 minutes.
Pina colada (Piña colada) is a low-alcohol Caribbean cocktail consisting of rum, coconut milk and pineapple juice. Differs in the soft balanced taste and speed of preparation. From Spanish, “Piña colada” literally translates as “filtered pineapple juice.”
Historical information
According to the most popular version, the classic Pina Colada recipe was invented in 1954 by bartender Ramon Marerro, who worked in the Caribbean at the Beachcomber bar. After three months of experimenting with mixing different ingredients, he came up with a cocktail that the visitors really liked. A few years later, the recipe made its way to the United States, and then to Europe.
According to another version, Pina Colada first appeared in the Barracina restaurant in Puerto Rico. Its creation was sponsored by the island’s Ministry of Agriculture. Specially hired scientists were engaged in the development of the recipe. To secure the right to the authorship of the drink, in 1978 the government made the Pina Colada cocktail the national pride of Puerto Rico and installed a memorial plaque.
Some historians claim that the prototype of Pina Colada appeared in 1820. To maintain morale, the captain of the Caribbean pirates, Roberto Cofresi, gave members of his crew a drink consisting of rum, pineapple juice and coconut milk. Modern authors have only picked up the right proportions.
Since 1961, Pina Colada has been on the official list of the IBA (International Bartending Association). It is believed that every self-respecting bartender should be able to prepare this cocktail from memory.
Composition and proportions:
- light (white) rum – 30 ml;
- pineapple juice – 90 ml;
- coconut milk (Malibu liqueur) – 30 ml;
- ice cubes – 50 grams;
- cream (11-15% fat) – 20 ml (optional);
- a slice of pineapple or a cocktail cherry – 1 piece.
Finding real coconut milk in Russia is difficult, so Malibu coconut liqueur is used as a substitute. It is better to take fresh juice, reconstituted from concentrate spoils the taste a little. Cream in the composition is optional, with a fat content of more than 15%, it can curdle in sour citrus juice.
It is believed that Cuban or Puerto Rican rum is needed to make a cocktail. In fact, any high-quality rum will do, regardless of the country of production.
Attention! To make a non-alcoholic Pina Colada cocktail, it is enough to exclude rum from the composition, and replace Malibu liquor with coconut milk or syrup. The technology of preparation and the taste of the drink will not change.
homemade pina colada recipe
1. Blend all ingredients (except cherry and pineapple slice) in a blender until smooth.
2. Pour the resulting mixture into a tall glass.
3. Decorate the cocktail with a cherry, pineapple wedge or whipped cream.
4. Serve with a straw.
The video shows the method of cooking “Pina Colada” from Vasily Zakharov.
PS Do not confuse the cocktail with Pina Colada liqueur. Although these drinks are very similar, there are several differences in their recipe and preparation technology.