Luau Coconut

When I hosted my tropical themed dinner party back in January, one of the menu items I was most looking forward to was this drink. In fact, this drink is what inspired the theme for the party. There’s something ironic about drinking from a coconut when it’s not even 40º outside, but the whole point of the party was to make everyone forget about the cold weather, and this drink did exactly that. Plus, I simply can’t resist the combination of coconut and pineapple. Now that it’s warm outside, I think this would be perfect for summer entertaining. Coconut and drink umbrella optional.

This drink is a prime example of the tiki cocktail, but you don’t have to be at the beach to enjoy its fun, summery flavors. I adore piña coladas, and this is basically a fancy version of that poolside favorite. The original recipe had both light and gold rum, but I substituted coconut rum in place of the light rum. I liked the extra burst of coconut flavor, but I think the drink would still have plenty even without the coconut rum. I just happened to have coconut rum and gold rum on hand and didn’t want to buy another type. The pineapple and lime juices add brightness and a hint of acidity that prevent the drink from being overly sweet. I can’t wait for summer so that we can enjoy more of these (and other fruity, tropical drinks).