Unwind in the Heart of Serenity

With days finally starting to get a little warmer, the beverage selection around my house has turned from warm teas and ciders to something with a bit more of a tropical flare. While the warm sun of summer may still be as far away as Castaway Cay, it doesn't mean we can't bring the tropical flavors of a sun-drenched beach to our kitchens.

The Konk Cooler is one of the legendary drinks that can be found on Castaway Cay. A little bit pina colada, a little bit mai tai, a little bit pog juice, and a little bit of mixologist magic creates quite a tropical cocktail. Also, it isn't so strong that it'll knock you right out in your lounger. Instead, it lets the fruit flavors party in your mouth and leaves you in search of a friendly bartender to whip you up another.

KONK COOLER

Ingredients:

1 Oz. Passion Fruit Juice

1 Oz. Pina Colada Mix

1 Oz. Orange Juice

3/4 Oz. Light Rum

1/2 Oz. Dark Rum

 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.

Shake vigorously and strain into a tall glass with ice.

 

That's about as easy a recipe for a cocktail as their is. Honestly, I suspect most well-stocked home bar liquor cabinets contain all but one or two of these ingredients. For our part, I had the passion fruit juice, but not the pina colada mix, for others I imagine it might be the other way around. Also, if you're feeling particularly fancy, you can add a wedge of the tropical fruit of your choice for a garnish.

The pina colada mix gives the Konk Cooler a creamy texture that many tropical cocktails don't employ. Typically, I actually try to avoid mixed beverages that utilize orange juice because I feel like the tend to overpower the other ingredients. Don't get me wrong, I love orange juice (I am a Florida boy after all), but it usually is too strong for adding it in with other flavors. Not so here, where the most forward flavors are the passion fruit juice and the dark rum. This switch up from what I was expecting, and from what I remember from my Konk Cooler on Castaway Cay, made for a delicious surprise!

I did have a couple of thoughts while making these myself. One, I would probably add ice to the shaker just to add a little chill to the proceedings, before the concoction makes it to the glass. Two, the dark rum works well here, but I also wonder if it wouldn't plus it up just a hair if I used spiced rum in its place.

Castaway Cay may not be in our immediate future, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy a piece of it wherever we find ourselves. This fun, fruity, and frosty beverage will remind you of the warm seabreeze in your hair and provide you with a moment to serenity, wherever you happen to be. The next time you need that moment of bliss, throw on some beach music and remember that the Konk Cooler is a simple escape.