BBQs + Pineapple Coconut Rum Punch

It’s memorial day weekend, which means lots of BBQ, a big jug of punch, an epic cookout…and possibly fireworks. A solid recipe for a great time at the Manganini residence.

Now about that punch. As per usual, I’ve been assigned punch duty. Not that I’m a great bartender or anything like that (Donald is the mastermind bartender around here), but I have been knows to stir up a few tasty concoctions in my day. There was the mojito year… the sangria year… and right now it’s feeling like a rum punch year.

And with this gorgeous spring weather (sunny, 80 degrees with salty breezes blowing in from the marsh) something light and hydrating – with a kick – sounds just perfect.

After coming up empty after a few google searches,  I concocted my own recipe for a pineapple coconut rum punch, below. It somewhat resembles a piña colada (kind of..),

minus the globs of saturated fat and syrupy sugary concentrates. Something you can drink (and I will be drinking) all day long at our Memorial Day cookout.

Behold: The Piña Colada punch. After lots of trial and error, and tasting and stirring..and more tasting.. this is the winning concoction that emerged from the plastic punch cauldron.  A combination of my favorite drink of all time: Sky Juice, with the classic summery snap of pineapple juice, and a twist of lime to keep everything bright. And of course the rums.. ALL of the rums.

Piña Colada Punch

1.5 cups Coconut milk
1.5 cups Coconut water
3 cups Pineapple Juice
Juice from 4 fresh squeezed limes
1/2 cup Coconut rum
1 cup Light Rum
1/2 cup Dark Rum
2 Limes cut round-wise for garnish

Mix it all together in your punch bowl. Top with lime slices.

For keeping it cool: Freeze 2 cups coconut water in a Tupperware container that is small enough to fit in your punch dispenser/bowl. When it’s frozen, run under warm water to loosen the frozen block. Pop out the ice block and put in your punch to keep it cool all day long.

Makes 8 cups of punch.

Happy Memorial Day!