An Orange Colada Surprise

     Fooling around in the Rum Lab is always an enjoyable afternoon for me.  Today was no exception, I was fooling around with some coladas and bringing back some of the old ideas that I have gleaned from reading a couple of old books that have crossed my desk in the past month.  It seems that sugarcane, rum and coconut have been great friends ever since the early 1500’s.   Sugarcane and coconut palms are both natives of the South Seas and became part of the Caribbean as a result of explorers and trades bringing them from Europe and Asia.  

 

    With that in mind, I figured it was time to continue the marriage and see what ne things I can come up with for a luscious new cocktail.    I have used the coconut in many forms in my cocktails before, and today I will be exploring them again in what I hope will end up tasty and fun.   Coconut water and cream of coconut are two ways to put the coconut into the cocktail.   Coconut Water is a good mix to keep the taste of the rum in the forefront and still cut the bite of the rum.  It is also an electrolyte rich mixer that offers some positive benefits to your cocktail.    Cream of coconut is another great mixer, that can add depth and a solid background to the cocktail from which you can add juices, fruits, or syrups to fill in the accents for your cocktail.

     Today I am working with Cream of coconut and using half and half to create a very rich and creamy colada.   I’m going to work with an orange flavor to see what I can create.   The idea comes from a frozen treat that I could get as a kid called a 50/50.   I had an orange coating on the outside and an ice cream center.   In case you haven’t guessed yet, this is going to be a frozen cocktail.

Bahama Bob’s Orange Colada Surprise

·         2 oz. El Dorado Spiced Rum

·         2 oz. Cream of Coconut

·         1 oz.  Half and Half

·         1 oz. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

·         1 oz. Orange Juice

 

Place all ingredients in a blender with 1 ½ cups of ice and blend until smooth.   Pour into a Pint Glass and garnish with an orange wheel.   Float with Plantation Overproof Rum and grate fresh nutmeg on the top.