Happy Piña Colada Day! Possibly it is a bit early where you are to indulge – it’s only 8:15am here. If so, then indulge in THIS classic tune ’till the bar bell goes off.
Lyrical Musings
The residents of TransAtlantic Towers often discuss this song and its story. We’re puzzled as to how and why this song ends the way it does. I mean, don’t get me wrong – I like a happy ending as much as anyone else. I hope those two kids worked it out and lived happily ever after.
But does it make sense as given? Surely, once they arrived at O’Malley’s, one or both would ask in affronted tones, “What the hell were you doing placing/answering personal ads?” Then there would be a row, someone would huff off. Or they’d make up over piña coladas. But I feel there may be unresolved issues in that relationship.
And that’s not the only potential dust up linked to the fruity tropical drinks. Just try to establish who invented it. See, it’s like this – there were these two Puerto Rican bartenders. Come to think of it sounds like the beginning of a joke (“two Puerto Rican bartenders walk into a bar…”) but it is really the beginning of a great cocktail mystery.
Never mind, back to the origins of the piña colada, or as I like to call it…
The Tale of Many Ramóns
- Ramón ‘Monchito’ Marrero Pérez (henceforth known as Ramón 1) claims he made the first piña colada in 1954 while working at the Beachcomber Bar at the Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan. This version of history states that the drink didn’t get its current name until several years later and that it was this delay that causes “origin confusion.” That’s as may be but since ‘piña colada’ means (as I recall) pressed or strained pineapple in Spanish I really don’t know why it would take so long for a drink involving strained pineapple to acquire that name. But hey – that’s their story.
- Ramón Portas Mingot (henceforth known as Ramón 2) , on the other hand, claims that HE created the tall fruity goodness in a glass in 1963 while working at the Barrachina Restaurant (also in San Juan but Old San Juan).
- Ramón 3 does not lay claim to inventing the piña colada but regardless of who did, he was instrumental in making it happen. You see, in addition to strained pineapple, a piña colada requires coconut milk and it was Ramón 3 (more usually known as Ramón López-Irizarry) who found a commercially viable way of processing the coconut milk. This became known as Coco Lopez and was newly available in 1954 when Ramón 1 was supposed to be concocting his cocktail. The fact that it was available since 1954 makes me wonder why it would have taken anyone until 1963 to put it all together but hey, I’m not a bartender. What do I know?
My Take on the Tale
Now it seems to me that if Ramon 1’s story is true – then someone should recall having one during the 10 year span between his claim and that of his rival – and that would more or less settle the question of Ramón 2. But apparently no one spoke up post-1963 to say, “Hold on, I had one of these two years at the Beachcomber. Been having them for ages!” And when you consider the high profile nature of the guest list from the Caribe back in its heyday, you’d think they’d trot out one or two big names who’d sampled their local beverage.
And that is the Tale Of Many Ramons.
Both the Caribe Hilton Hotel and the Barrachina still lay claim to their place in Cocktail History but no one feels like throwing down about it so everyone just drinks their drink and chooses whichever history they prefer.