Piña coladas are a staple in most people’s lives.

Creamy, fruity, and tropical – piña coladas are even more popular today than they were during the glory days of Don Draper in Mad Men.

Mixed piña colada (photo courtesy of Wikimedia)

Ingredients for piña colada: 4 parts dark rum 2 parts coconut cream 1 part pineapple juice 1 splash(es) cream of coconut (optional) *1 cup crushed ice *1 cup ice cubes Directions: Combine all ingredients in blender or shaker with crushed ice. Blend/shake well. Garnish with thin slice of fresh pineapple and maraschino cherry . Serve in glass with straw.

The history of piña colada is rarely discussed, mostly because piña coladas are delicious. Piña colada has a relatively modern history, but piña coladas date back to the 19th century when the drink was first created by Ramón “Monchito” Marrero Pardo.

A piña colada was invented in 1859 by Ramon “Monchito” Marrero Perez on the island of Puerto Rico, who worked at the Beach Hotel in San Juan. However, it is believed that piña coladas were not served outside of Puerto Rico until 1952, making them even more popular than they were during Mad Men!

Pina coladas came to Britain shortly after this initial introduction to America.

Pina coladas are also the national drink of Puerto Rico. piña coladas were made very popular by Ernest Hemingway, who finished his piña colada with a splash of rum before noon every day at the La Floridita bar in Havana, Cuba.

Puerto Rican piña coladas were served in Florida in 1952 by Ramon “Monchito” Marrero-Porrero, bartender at the Beach Club Bar of the Caribe Hilton hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The following year piña coladas caught on when U.S. President Dwight D Eisenhower was served one after returning from an afternoon boat trip while visiting Puerto Rico. It became extremely popular through out.

Rumour has it that Piña Coladas were also served during Boris Johnson’s infamous covid-rules-breaking Downing Street parties.

So next time you’re in for a piña colada, think about putting it down to history.