Puerto Rico’s Pina Colada War

In Puerto Rico, the battle of the original Pina Colada rages on.  Folklore or fact, it’s a frothy feud indeed.

With rum being Puerto Rico’s national drink (over 24 different varieties of the liquid love avail), it makes sense one of the most famous rum-based cocktails originated here. Legend has it both the Caribe Hilton and Restaurant Barrachina lay claim to the original Pina Colada. Here are the two stories filled with intrigue, including pirates, celebrities and culinary genius:

The Legend of the Pina Colada

Caribe Hilton’s was invented at the Beachcombers Bar by bartender Ramon “Monchito” Marrero.  Working at the Caribe in 1954, he was given the task of creating a signature drink for the hotel’s affluent clientele (it was at the time the finest resort on the Island.)  After 3 months of tireless tippling before he got it just right, the drink debuted on August 15, 1954.

The story goes that the drink became something of a legend when Joan Crawford tasted it and said that it was “better than slapping Betty Davis in the face.” His recipe wasn’t trademarked (nor did he want it to be), so the recipe spread throughout bars internationally. Here is Monchito’s not-so-secret recipe still utilized at the Caribe to this day:

Caribe Hilton Pina Colada

* 2 ounces light rum
* 1 ounce coconut cream
* 1 ounce heavy cream
* 6 ounces fresh pineapple
* 1/2 cup crushed ice
* Pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry for garnish

Pour rum, coconut cream, cream, and pineapple juice in blender. Add ice. Blend for 15 seconds. Pour into a 12-ounce glass. Add garnishes

A plaque outside of the Restaurant Barrachina firmly declares its Pina Colada claim with, “The house where in 1963 the Pina Colada was created by Don-Ramon Portas Mingot”.

In the early 1960s, Mr. Mingot, a well-known Spanish bartender who authored cocktail recipe books, met the famed chef Mr. Barrachina while traveling in South America.  The two became fast culinary comrades and Mingot began bartending at Barrachina’s restaurant in San Juan.  Already an accomplished mixologist, Mingot was used to experimenting with different ingredients to produce creative concoctions. One day, he mixed pineapple, coconut cream, condensed milk and rum in a blender with ice, and the Pina Colada was born.  The restaurant is still open and serving up these Pina Coladas in downtown San Juan, one block from the Governor’s Mansion.

Mingot’s Pina Colada, Restaurant Barrachina

* 48 oz Pineapple Juice
* 15 oz Coconut Cream
* 10 oz water (or ice – not both!)
* Mix in blender if using ice, or stir if using water.
* Add desired amount of rum

Garnish with a cherry and pineapple chuck.

Regardless of who invented it, including rumors a pirate of the 1800’s who died at sea was the original creator, the Pina Colada’s timeless popularity is here to stay with over 100 million served worldwide!

Obviously, a trip to Puerto Rico is what’s required to decide for yourself who wins the Pina Colada prize – Caribe Hilton or Restaurant Barrachina?

Stay tuned for more Puerto Rico rum adventures.

For more on what to do in Puerto Rico: www.seepuertorico.com

Photo (drink) by andreakw, Creative Commons, (beachside bar) by Caribe Hilton (restaurant) by Restaurant Barrachina.

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If you had more money than Warren Buffet and Bill Gates together, would you take the plunge and soak in a tub of champagne?

London’s Cadogan Hotel is making this fantasy a reality by offering the world’s most spendy splash. Beginning on Valentine’s Day, Cadogan Hotel will christen a ‘bubbly bath’ service for the ultimate indulgence.

A butler will draw (pop and pour more like it) the bath, get the temperature to your liking and then shower you with flutes of unused champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries.

There are more ‘budget-friendly’ options to soak in like the 1998 Louis de Custine Brut bath for only $6,300 or Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut 2002 bath for $9,500.

But really, if you’re gonna go big, then don yourself with only the best: a Dom Pérignon bath. Cost: $40,000. To say you’ve bathed in Dom at cocktail parties for the next century to come: Priceless.

I know what you’re thinking, “What I could do with $40k, people are spending on a bath?”

But you see, it takes over 122 bottles of France’s finest celebratory nectar to fill the tub. So it’s quite reasonable for this sort of thing.

If I had a billionaires’ bank roll, I’d try the champagne bath. Who knows, it could be some miracle anti-aging beauty secret, but top of my list of indulgences? A Gulfstream G650 private jet, ready and waiting for my every travel bug whim.

But the question remains, if money was no object, would this be something you would like to try? Maybe don’t like to see good champagne go down the drain, so what’s your big ticket fantasy?

Photos (bath) by Cadogan Hotel, (jet) by Gulfstream

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Who says museums are only for dinosaur bones and Rembrandt paintings? In the heart of New York City, celebrate Valentine’s Day by a visit to the Museum of Sex (MoSex). After visiting the current exhibitions from The Sex Lives of Animals to Universe of Desire that explores the digital age and modern sexuality, a stop at the museum’s OralFix Aphrodisiac Bar completes the erotic excursion.

At OralFix Aphrodisiac Bar, explore the world of aphrodisiacs and experience exotic flavors that excite and delight the palate.

Aphrodisiac Fun Facts

Here are just a few things you’ll learn from a visit to OralFix bar:

Saffron encourages pleasure. In ancient Egypt, Cleopatra was rumored to add saffron to her bath water to increase her skins’ sensitivity, leading to greater pleasure. In scientific studies, saffron has been observed to increase the dilation of blood vessels, confirming the effectiveness of this practice.

Cardamom was widely considered an aphrodisiac in Arabic cultures and is featured prominently in the prescriptions of Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Nafzawi author of the most legendary Arabic sex manuals.

Rosemary is a symbol of love and union. Rosemary branches were presented to guests at wedding ceremonies during the Middle Ages in Europe. The bride and groom sometimes also planted a branch on their wedding day, and was considered a good omen if it grew.

Valentine’s Day Cocktails at OralFix

In celebration of Valentine’s Day 2012, the OralFix Aphrodisiac Bar features the following specialty aphrodisiac cocktails:

Get Laid – Mixed Berries, Basil and Ty Ku Sake

Spank Me – Bulldog Gin, Aperol, Roi Rene Rouge Cherry Liqueur

My Slutty Valentine – Prosecco, Mathilde Raspberry, Royal Combier

Along side their newest love potions, these cocktails are also available:

My Bloody Valentine – Bloody Mary with horseradish and Svedka Vodka

The Queen’s Knickers – Bulldog Gin,  Pimm’s, Earl Grey tea and honey

A “Screw Roses Gift Package for Him & Her, Him & Him and Her & Her” that includes admission for 2 to MoSex, 2 drinks, an Edible Heart Massage Candle and toys for $69 (The price pun duly noted!) are available with extended hours from Feb 11 – 14 until 10 pm.

What to Expect at Museum of Sex

The Museum’s permanent collection of over 15,000 artifacts is comprised of works of art, photography, clothing and costumes, technological inventions and historical ephemera all dedicated to preserving the cultural evolution of human sexuality. From fine art to historical ephemera to film, the Museum of Sex preserves an ever-growing collection of sexually related objects that would otherwise be destroyed and discarded due to their sexual content. In a city that never sleeps, the Museum of Sex and its OralFix Bar never stop exploring the “What’s sex have to do with it?” element.

The Museum of Sex, 233 5th Avenue, New York, New York 10016

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