The Lava Flow Hawaiian Rum Drink

This post was originally posted to my blog at www.clubtiki.com

The last time I was in Hawaii I stayed at the Kea Lani Resort on Maui. One of the things that made the Kea Lani a kick-ass resort in my mind was that it had a swim-up bar. Upon arriving at the hotel I was able to jump in the pool, swim up to the bar and watch a Stanle Cup Finals game on the TV. If there is an encycolpedia entry somewhere for paradise, this place (or at least the bar) would be in it. The fact that it was Father's Day instantly made it the best Father's Day I have ever had or likely will ever have.

As I sat and watched the game I ordered and drank a variety of things, most of which I can't remember but a hint of what I was downing can be found in the fact that my nickname at the swim-up bar by day two was Gentleman Jack. I made friends with another Kea Lani visitor who drank nothing but Lava Flows.

I usually stay away from complex blender drinks, but this one looked particularly appealing, so I ordered one, or several, during the course of my stay. Maybe it was the setting, maybe it was the fact that any drink consumed in a swim-up bar tastes that much better, but this was one of the best Lava Flows I have ever had. It did not taste like an ice cream sundae, but neither was it overly boozy. I watched the bartneder make this drink countless times and this is what I came away with.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 oz. light rum (they used Bacardi, but I would use Mt. Gay or something tastier)
• 2 1/2 oz. coconut cream
• 2 oz. fresh strawberries
• 1 small banana
• 2 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice

Notice that there is no Malibu Rum in this recipe. If you have never had it, Malibu Rum is a coconut flavored rum that has more in common with your average bottle of suntan lotion than it does an actual alcohol. Maybe this is the rum you por over ice cream for small children so mom and dad can have some quiet "Us Time" on a Friday night. Who knows, I hate the stuff. Most of the time you see this drink done mostly with Malibu Rum, which is why I must hate it.

Anyway, no Malibu, as a matter of fact I did not see a bottle of Malibu anywhere in the bar area at the Kea Lani.  To make a lava flow do the following: 

Blend the rum, 1/2 oz. of coconut cream and the strawberries in a blender until you have a nice smooth paste. Pour this mixture into a tall glass, a pint glass will work too.

Back to the blender, rinse it out and blend the banana, the rest of the coconut cream, and the pineapple juice r with crushed ice until that mixture is nice and smooth. Pour this mixture into the glass with the rums very slowly and watch as the strawberry mixture oozes its way to the top along the sides of the glass creating the flowing lava effect.  As an extra kick the bartender did a small float of Myers on top.

Anyway, that was, as I said, one of the best Father's Day weekends I have ever had.