Whether by design or by accident, some ingredients complement one another perfectly, as is the case with the flavors of blue Curacao, coconut and rum. Many drinks combine these ingredients along with others to make cocktails that are rich in tropical flavors and exceptionally colorful.
What Are Blue Curacao, Coconut and Rum?
Understanding the flavors of these components helps you comprehend why they go together so well.
Blue Curacao
Curacao is an orange-flavored liqueur made from the dried peel of bitter oranges that proliferate on the Caribbean island of Curacao. It comes in different colors, with blue and orange being the most popular. Although the original and most popular Curacao has an orange taste, other liqueurs marketed as Curacaos are flavored to taste like rum and raisin, coffee and chocolate.
Coconut
Coconut is a hard-shelled fruit prized for its sweet white flesh. When coconut is used to flavor beverages and foods, artificially flavored coconut liqueur, sweetened coconut milk or coconut crème made from the juice or milk of the coconut is preferred. It is added in its unsweetened form to savory dishes and is heavily sweetened for beverage and dessert recipes.
Rum
Rum is a distilled, hard liquor made from molasses and/or sugarcane juice that is fermented before being aged in wooden barrels. Most rum production takes place in Caribbean regions as well as Central and South America. Light rum is a common ingredient in mixed drinks, and the darker variety is traditionally drunk straight or used in cooking.
The Blue Hawaiian
This cocktail is widely believed to be the original combination of blue Curacao, coconut and rum with a bit of pineapple juice added for sweetness and depth. Its roots are traceable to the bar of the Zanzibar club in London, England. With the advent of coconut rum in the late 20th century, some recipes omit the coconut cream. If you order at a bar, be sure to inform the bartender that you want the Blue Hawaiian and not the Blue Hawaii, a cocktail made with vodka and sometimes called a Blue Lagoon.
Here are two recipes for a Blue Hawaiian. The first recipe uses coconut liqueur, and the second substitutes coconut cream for the liqueur.
Blue Hawaiian #1
Ingredients
- 1 ounce white rum
- 1 ounce coconut liqueur
- 1 ounce pineapple juice
- 1/2 ounce blue Curacao liqueur
Directions
- Mix ingredients together in a cocktail shaker.
- Serve in old-fashioned or double-rocks glass.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a spear of fresh pineapple.
Blue Hawaiian #2
Ingredients
- 1 ounce plus 2 teaspoons white rum
- 4 teaspoons pineapple juice
- 2 teaspoons blue Curacao liqueur
- 1 teaspoon sweetened coconut cream
Directions
- Mix ingredients together in a cocktail shaker.
- Serve in old-fashioned or double-rocks glass.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a spear of fresh pineapple.
Variations on the Theme
To add some variety to your tropical mixed drink repertoire, try these variations on the Blue Hawaiian cocktail recipe.
Fruity Blue Hawaiian
Ingredients
- 1 ounce coconut rum
- 1/2 ounce banana rum
- 1/2 ounce blue Curacao
- 1 1/4 ounces orange juice, chilled
- Lemon-lime soda
Stir together first four ingredients in an oversized martini glass. Top with soda and serve.
Red Tropic Tango
Ingredients
- 1 ounce tropical fruit schnapps
- 1 ounce blue Curacao
- 1/2 ounce cherry brandy
- 1/2 ounce coconut rum
- 1 1/2 ounces mango syrup
Mix all ingredients in a highball glass or brandy snifter filled with ice. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Bittersweet Conclusions
As in many cherished taste treats, opposite flavors like bitter and sweet mingle wonderfully. Try mixing Curacao - blue or orange - with your favorite liqueur or syrup and favorite hard liquor to create colorful tasty cocktails for your own enjoyment or to serve at your next social gathering.
