I’m a mixologist at heart, which is really just a fancy name for a bartender. I love playing around with fruits, spirits and liqueurs to make exotic cocktails. One thing I’ve learned in this process: when making a fruit-based cocktail, for maximum flavor you must use ripe, fresh fruit that is in season. The only alternative is to use high-quality frozen fruit or a fruit puree. An exception to this rule is coconut. Cream of coconut adds just the right balance of sweetness and flavor to the classic pina colada. Just because it comes in a can doesn’t mean it’s bad. Homogenized cream of coconut was developed in Puerto Rico in the 1950’s by Don Ramón Lopez-Irizarry, and it became the star ingredient of the pina colada, which was conjured up by a bartender at the Caribe Hilton a few years later. When making your own pina coladas, seek out Coco Lopez brand, it’s the best. And if caramelizing fresh pineapple is too taxing, consider using the same amount of Perfect Puree’s excellent Caramelized Pineapple puree. You can buy it directly from www.perfectpuree.com.
