"Back in 1954, a creative bartender named Ramón "Monchito" Marrero, who worked at the Caribe Hilton in Puerto Rico, invented the Piña Colada. It took him three months to perfect the recipe, which he continued to serve at the hotel for another 35 years. In 1978, the cocktail was named Puerto Rico's official national drink."
- Celebrate Two of Mankind's Greatest Inventions, About.com
"The piña colada (Spanish, strained pineapple: piña, pineapple + colada, strained) is a sweet, rum-based cocktail made with rum, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice, usually served either blended or shaken with ice. It may be garnished with a pineapple wedge or a maraschino cherry or both. Under no circumstances should dairy cream be used."
- Wikipedia
BoojiGirl
The cream of coconut ratio to everything else is so perfect and is so fresh that I always imagine that I am drinking it right out of a halved coconut. Very fresh, creamy coconutty-milk flavour with the brightness of fresh pineapple to balance it off.
The ice is ground but not to a complete watery slush, and there are still some pretty big chunks in there, which I like. The rum content is good, but not overpowering in any way. I often forget that it is actually an alcoholic drink until the room starts spinning. ;)
They have the perfect amount of rum, in my opinion, and it is the ideal drink to go alongside a delicious plate of fresh tacos and salad or a giant enchilada!
And yes, it is always garnished with a maraschino cherry. :)