The 17-acre Puerto Rico resort Caribe Hilton is knonw for many things. A warm turquoise sea. Sparkling aquamarie pools. Zen Spa Oceano treatments. Cuban, Puerto Rican, and seafood restaurants. Tropical gardens and a bird sanctuary featuring peacocks.
But of all the things the resort is known for, none has had the global influence of its major claim to fame: in 1954, Caribe Hilton bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero mixed rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice together and created the world's first Piña Colada cocktail.
Naturally the best way to experience this unique cocktail is in it's natural habitat, sipping it poolside at the Caribe Hilton.
But most of us can't make it to the islands this year. Thankfully Caribe Hilton has a solution for that. The hotel has teamed up with Coquito NYC to create, bottle, and deliver a special Con Piña blend.
Coquito ("Little Coconut" in Spanish) is a traditional holiday drink that like the Piña Colada originated in Puerto Rico, and like the colada it features rum and coconut cream (as well as coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, and spices).
Coquito NYC has perfected a version that also includes eggs (making it like a coconut egg nog) and sells a home kit that brings the flavors of the island into your own kitchen, where you can enjoy the traditional Latinx holiday experience of making the drink from scratch. The Coquito NYC Home Kit comes with everything you need to make the drink except the eggs and rum.
Yielding 4-5 servings, the kit includes four straws, four glass bottles, 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, 1 can of evaporated milk, 1 can of organic coconut milk, vanilla extract, and the company's signature spice blend.
The new Con Piña version infuses the classic blend with pineapple for a piña colada-inspired coquito that will transport you to the beaches of Puerto Rico.
Order yours today (delivered in New York City, or shipped elsewhere). Then lean back in your chair, cast photos of Caribe Hilton to your screen, and book your post-troubled-times Puerto Rico vacation! Cheers. That's what we call a happy holiday!
