Getting Caught in the Rain

Rachel Maddow Improved the Piña Colada

Where's the rum?
Where’s the rum? Photo: Katie Sokoler/Gothamist

Over the weekend, Dan Pashman of the Sporkful took to the airwaves and discussed the sorry state of the late modern piña colada with “Weekend Edition” host Rachel Martin on NPR. The gist of it is that the rum cocktail is traditionally based on Coco López, a stabilized and emulsified product that apparently scares some people off, and that it’s never been improved. Until recently: The MSNBC host apparently developed a hack a while back that replaces the cream of coconut with orgeat, and the result is a less sickly sweet drink. The Maddow Colada recipe — which may or may not be crucial to a more bearable summer — is straight ahead.

The Maddow Colada
1.5 oz light rum
1 oz 8 year old Bacardi or other nice medium-bodied amber rum
1.5 oz unsweetened coconut milk
1.5 oz orgeat (almond syrup — Maddow recommends Teisseire. Torani is most common.)
4 oz pineapple juice
Blend with ice.
Don’t strain, serve in a short glass, garnish with pineapple wedge, tiny umbrella
serve with short, stubby (fat) straws.

Cocktail Moment by proxy: The Maddow Colada [Maddow Blog/MSNBC]

Rachel Maddow Improved the Piña Colada