Blue Hawaiian (California)

The blue Hawaiian is mellow compared to the other cocktails and it is a stunning shade of green-blue. This is the ultimate poolside drink and it's very easy to shake up. One look at the recipe and you'll notice that it looks a lot like a piña colada. It includes that irresistible combination of rum, pineapple, and coconut, but adds blue curaçao for that captivating colour, and a hint of citrus. Just like the colada, you can blend this beauty up as well. The Blue Hawaiian or Swimming Pool is a Piña Colada with an added splash of blue curaçao to give it an orange flavour. It is made with light rum (e.g. Pineapple Malibu rum or white rum), blue curaçao, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and lemon juice. It is garnished with a pineapple wedge, maraschino cherry and cocktail umbrella and served in a hurricane glass with pebble ice, or in a Collins glass. A frozen Blue Hawaiian can be made by putting all the ingredients in a blender with some crushed ice and pulsing them to a creamy consistency. The use of light rum allows the blue colour from the curaçao to come through. Adding more pineapple juice results in a greenish blue colour. Champagne or prosecco can be added to make a sparkling Blue Hawaiian.

1½ oz rum
¾ oz blue curaçao liqueur
2 oz fresh pineapple juice
¾ oz cream of coconut

Garnish:
Maraschino cherry
pineapple wedge

In a mixing glass filled with ice cubes, pour the rum, blue curaçao, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut. Stir well for at least 30 seconds.

Strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice cubes.

Garnish with a cherry and pineapple wedge. Serve and enjoy.

Makes 1 cocktail.

Variations:

Shake this cocktail to create a frothier drink. Just be sure to shake it until the outside of your cocktail shaker gets frosty and almost too cold to handle.

For the frozen version, pour the ingredients into a blender with 1 cup of cracked ice and blend until smooth. It's enough for one tall drink or two shorter drinks if you'd like to share it with a friend.

Want a slightly lighter drink? Switch to coconut milk or coconut cream as both are not as thick as the cream of coconut (sometimes labeled crème de coconut).

Since taste varies per person, if this cocktail is too sweet for you, add ½ oz of lemon juice to help balance that out.