If you like pina coladas

Nowadays when my family can't find me, they'll check the back yard, were I'm usually on my hands and knees covered in dirt.

Until humidity finds its way back to Virginia, I never want to go inside. We're bicycling, eating al fresco, and recently invited friends over for an intimate dinner. 

An Instagram poll I created a week ago showed that over 60% of my friends had hidden social activities from social media for fear of being shamed. Myself included. For even if we followed the rules, it seemed there was aways someone more isolated than you who was more than willing to point this out.

But now we're entering a grey area, where many friends and family are getting vaccinated, and spring allows us to get back outside in the open air. We invited over a family of three for dinner on the back patio and it was intoxicating. Not just beause of the pina coladas (more on that in a minute) but the sheer joy of entertaining. The nervous excitement in the prepping. Laughing with friends in 3D, not just watching their lives via social media. And oh, the way the cool evening air pulls the sweet scent from our cherry blossoms.

But about those pina coladas, they may seem like a thing of the past - 60's tiki culture with a resurgence in the 80s (thanks Jimmy Buffett). But they're a classic. I forgot how delicious they are! Leave the pre-made mixer at the grocery store - this fresh recipe is creamy and loaded with nutrients - it feels almost healthy! 

Pina Colada Recipe

• 1 can of coconut milk
• 2 cups of frozen cubed pineapple
• 1/4 cup natural maple syrup (not the artificial kind, or it will taste like breakfast!)
• Rum (however much you'd like - no judging. But the coconut cream really cuts the bite, allowing for a stronger drink)
• A teaspoon of coconut extract 
• 2 cups of cubed ice

Now grab a blender or Vitamix, toss all ingredients inside and blend. Pour and serve with a straw, and if you're feeling spritely, perhaps a toothpick umbrella? 

It will taste like warm weather, sunsets, and gives you the sense that things are slowly but surely returning to normal.