Cooking Lesson #927: The Original Blue Hawaii Cocktail

…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar

How you doin’? While it is the end of summer, now may be best time to hop on the big bird in the sky and fly off to Hawaii. The hotel rates have dropped and the weather—well the weather is always great.  Even if it isn’t, you’re still in Hawaii.
 
So, this is the best time to introduce yourself to the Blue Hawaii cocktail—not to be confused with the similarly named Blue Hawaiian. The original Blue Hawaii cocktail was born at Honolulu’s Kaiser Hawaiian Village (now Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Resort). In 1957, a sales rep from Dutch distiller Bols asked legendary bartender Harry Yee to design a drink that featured the brand's blue curaçao, a Caribbean liqueur made using the dried peel of the Laraha citrus fruit.
 
After experimenting with several variations, Yee settled on a cocktail that featured rum, vodka, blue curaçao, pineapple and sweet-and-sour mix. The drink is still recognized today for its signature blue color, pineapple wedge and cocktail umbrella garnish. In fact, it's Yee who is largely credited with popularizing the now iconic trend of miniature cocktail umbrellas in cocktails by including them in his creations.
 
The Blue Hawaii is typically shaken with ice and strained into a tall glass, but it can also be prepared by blending all of the ingredients together—Yee is said to have varied his method per the guest’s preference. Both options taste great, though the frozen version may prove extra refreshing on a hot day.
 
The Blue Hawaii recipe calls for sweet-and-sour mix, and you can certainly choose one of the bottled products available at liquor grocery stores. But if you’re game to make your own—a very simple task—you’ll create a fresher tasting cocktail. All it takes is sugar, water and lime juice.
 
The Blue Hawaii has enjoyed a place in popular culture. Its invention predates Hawaii’s statehood by two years, and it is the most famous drink associated with the Aloha State. It was Yee who named the cocktail that shares its name with the 1961 Elvis Presley film. And since the drink’s debut, there have been numerous variations on the recipe, such as the Blue Hawaiian, which uses crème de coconut. But if you want to taste the authentic recipe, this is it.
 
So, mix up the cocktail, ask Alexa to play Elvis’ Blue Hawaii and enjoy. Cheers!
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients 
3/4 ounce vodka
3/4 ounce light rum
1/2 ounce blue curaçao
3 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce sweet and sour mix (recipe below)
Garnish: pineapple wedge and a cherry
Garnish: cocktail straw or umbrella
 
Directions
1.     Add the vodka, light rum, blue curaçao, pineapple juice and sweet-and-sour mix into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. (Or blend all ingredients with ice in a blender.).
2.     Strain into a Hurricane glass over crushed or pebble ice. (Or pour from blender into glass with no ice.)
3.     Garnish with a pineapple wedge, a cherry and a cocktail umbrella.

ChefSecret:  How to Make Sweet-and-Sour Mix for A Blue Hawaii
Most products marketed as "sour mix" are meant to approximate fresh lemon juice and sugar. The Blue Hawaii uses a lime-based variant that's easy to make at home ahead of time. Just combine 1 part simple syrup with 1 part lime juice. This can also be done in the shaker as you create the drink, by substituting the sweet-and-sour mix with 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice and 1/2 ounce simple syrup.
 
Quip of the Day:  A. Did you hear about the Hawaiian surfer who became a yoga instructor? B. He learned how to ride the waves of tranquility!
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Cocktail #BlueHawaiiCocktail #BlueCuracao #Vodka #LightRum #Pineapple #HarryYee #HawaiianVillage #Elvis #Cheers #2024Recipes #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
 
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