Piña Paradise

Writing by Dr. Elixir

Photography by Justin Negard

This drink is in memory of my father.  When I was a teenager, my father made pitchers of his high-octane piña coladas, serving them to friends and family during summer dinners and parties at our house.  Back then, piña coladas were overly boozy and sweet, so I’ve created an elevated version that honors my father’s recipe but is tailored to today’s cocktail standards.

Ingredients

Serves two.

2 oz. coconut milk

2 oz. pineapple juice

6 oz. aged rum (I used a five-year old Flor de Caña)

Two large scoops of high-quality vanilla ice cream 

Two scoops of ice cubes, plus additional ice to fill each glass

Nutmeg

Allspice

2 sprigs of mint

2 slices of pineapple caramelized with rum and brown sugar

Directions 

Place the first five ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Fill each glass with ice. Pour the blended drink evenly into each glass and sprinkle a little ground nutmeg and allspice on top.  

Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint and a slice of caramelized pineapple.

This article was published in the July/August 2024 print edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.