The long-running joke that I will open a bar called Trader Jane’s has slowly moved into the “idk, maybe” phase (ask again soon, I guess). The idea of opening a business in San Francisco terrifies me though, because, well, have you seen San Francisco? It’s not exactly the most welcoming environment. But many friends have opened many great businesses here, so it’s obviously not impossible. So I continue to idly dream of a bar (you know, without having to worry about the financing or all the work just yet lol).
A key component of those dreams? A back bar. We all know back bars are a fun addition anywhere. The whole bar within a bar thing can be trite, but it’s also an opportunity to do fun things. One of my favorite bars anywhere, the back bar at Young Joni, shows how you can do this properly. A bit closer to home, the Hideout at Dalva is always a great spot for a drink or two before whatever else your night holds for you down in the Mission. And who doesn’t love Holy Mountain, the bar within a bar at Hawker Fare? They are not necessarily secret, per se, and it’s not like you need a password to get in or anything, just not something obvious, and someplace where you can do something a bit different. I love the idea of different expressions within a space, and what that brings.
So. If I had my dream bar that I were building out a back bar would be a must. Of course the main area is where you come for all of your Trader Jane’s classics, but for a smaller tropical diversion…Escape. A back bar that only serves Piña Coladas (and maybe champagne). It’s not just a good idea, it’s a great idea, be honest.
What is my contribution to the canon of Coladas, though? Of course, there are a lot of questions about how you make a classic Piña Colada, but also what can you do that pops like a Piña Verde or a Brancolada? All fair questions.
For starters, though, here’s how my house Piña Colada has been coming along:
1.5 oz pineapple
.5 oz lime
1 oz coconut cream (usually Coco Lopez)
2 oz Jane’s Plantation Blend (equal parts Plantation 3 Stars, Dark, Xaymaca, and O.F.T.D.)
1.5 - 2 cups of ice
Stiggins Fancy to float
Through everything but the Stiggins in your trusty blender (like this), blend until smooth, pour into a Hurricane glass or tiki mug, float that Stiggins, and garnish with a couple pineapple fronds or a little umbrella or whatever you got and serve with a straw.
So that’s my basic one. Of course, find whatever rum works for you, that’s just a blend I like for these, though I should sub out the Xaymaca for that Isle of Fiji because it’s some good stuff.
If that’s what would be in one of the big old slushie machines, what will be in the other? A fair question. As you may have seen from previous Trader Jane’s entries, I love playing with scotch in tropical beverages (my masterstroke, the Carthusian Trip as well as Deacon Blues to name a couple). And as my friend Ken Walczak would say, scotch and pineapple are natural friends. Turns out scotch gets along with lime and coconut pretty well too. I turn to a nice peaty Laphroaig 10, my go-to when making drinks these days. And there, my friends, is how a drink is born.
I’ve been kicking around the name a bit, I initially thought Piña Islay, but after workshopping and getting suggestions from other people, Peata Colada is clearly a great name. Neither appears to be in widespread use at the moment. Anyway…
1.5 oz pineapple
.5 oz lime
1 oz coconut cream
2 oz Laphroaig 10 (or whatever nice peaty scotch you have around and don’t mind putting in a drink)
1.5-2 cups of ice
Put this all in your trusty blender, blend until smooth, and garnish with a couple pineapple fronds for fun. Enjoy!
This is Trader Jane’s, a periodic newsletter about drinks (mostly tiki) and other fun writing. Follow me on Substack for something every week or two (if we are being honest), and follow me on Twitter and Instagram for more timely updates on my beverages (and for lots of other things of course!)
And, as with any good drink, feel free to share (responsibly, of course)