A pina colada is pictured at the Beverly Hotel in Toronto on Thursday, June 19, 2014.Matthew Sherwood/The Globe and Mail
Hailing from swinging mid-century Puerto Rico, the pina colada is the undisputed king of tropical drinks, immediately invoking images of poolside lounging, cruise wear and palm trees. It's the kind of cocktail that transports you to a happy place – and fast. This twangy and slightly spicy Asian-fusion koh tao colada uses coconut milk instead of coconut cream and adds a hit of ginger and lemongrass for a bright flavour profile.
Ingredients
3 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce fresh lime juice
2 ounces amber rum
3 ounces high-grade coconut milk
1 ounce lemongrass/ginger syrup
Pinch of salt
1 cup of crushed ice
Lemongrass Ginger Syrup
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup chopped lemongrass
1 cup chopped ginger
Method
In a blender, combine ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into a tall tulip glass and garnish with a pineapple wedge.
For the lemongrass-ginger syrup, combine two cups sugar to one cup water in saucepan and heat until dissolved. Add lemongrass, chopped ginger and cool for one hour. Strain solids and bottle.