Cheers – Coco Rum and Cola Recipe

It was one of those late hot and humid August days in Florida. I had just returned from Arizona, even hotter yet dry. I was longing for a thirst-quenching summer drink such as a rum cooler, but I was out of plain rum (horrors) and not in the mood to shop or go out.

As an experiment, I added my Caribbean rum with natural coconut flavor to my cola drink. I used “Malibu” but any coconut rum will do. This refreshing coconut flavored rum and coke or “Cuba Libra” tasted better than the original.

3 parts cola (Coke or Pepsi)

1 part coconut flavored rum

1 lime wedge

Serve over ice in a tall frosted glass, garnish with a lime wedge. I squeezed some of the lime in the drink to contrast with the sweet coconut.

Now all you need is a hammock and a book.

This drink was reminiscent of my Puerto Rico island days. We would carry a cooler of rum, ice, Coke or Pepsi to the beach with a machete. For a container we would shake or climb a coconut tree to find ripe, juicy coconuts. Someone (not me) would open them with a swift swing of the machete. After drinking all of the coconut milk, we would pour the coke and rum into the coconut shell. Then for a snack we would pick out the rum and cola soaked coconut chunks. I call this a perfect Puerto Rican picnic.

Do not toss your coconut shells away. They make the ideal toss away bowl for serving many kinds of flavored rice such as Thai, balsamic, jasmine, coconut or curry.