Pineapple Upside-down Old Fashioned

7 Comments April 25, 2025 terrie gura

You’d think after so many years of creating in the kitchen, that it might take a really innovative technique or recipe to wow me. And that would be incorrect. Sometimes, it’s the simplest of things. Take for instance, my recent decision to “do something, anything” with the scraps of rind and core that I trimmed from a perfectly ripe, fresh golden pineapple.

It seems like such a waste to discard the pieces that aren’t edible.

Was I channeling my pal, Dorothy from New Vintage Kitchen, and following along with her “Scrap Happy Planet” series of ideas about reducing food waste? Sure, I was. And did I feel a sense of pride in knowing that my frugal grandmother would also be giddy at my effort to use up every bit of the pineapple? Of course. What I didn’t see coming was the flood of ideas I would conjure for using the glorious syrup that resulted from this experiment, and I’m eager to hear your ideas as well.

I’ll admit that I did not entirely come up with this “pineapple syrup” idea on my own; rather, it struck me when I received an email from Imbibe magazine. I’ve been subscribed to this publication (print and digital) since Covid began, and I’m always inspired by the innovative approaches of top bartenders across the country. Check out their site for even just a few clicks and you’ll see what I mean.

What dropped in my inbox was a recipe for a cocktail called “Pineapple Old Fashioned Du Jour,” and I couldn’t leave that alone because it already had half of my blog’s name on it. My husband, Les, and I both adore old fashioned cocktails and this one sounded sweet, tropical and perfect. Most of all, it gave me inspiration for the pineapple scraps that were staring at me from the fridge. A sweet syrup is created when Demerara sugar (or a mix of light and dark brown sugars, which is what I had in the pantry) is muddled with the leavings of the pineapple, drawing out all that beautiful sweetness. After several hours of macerating, you add a splash of boiling water to thin it out a bit and then strain out the solids.

Oooh, we are gettin’ “scrap happy” over here, indeed! 😂

It was so easy, and a great way to eke out every last bit of flavor from my pineapple. The only problem now is that I have almost too many ideas for this pineapple syrup, which tastes exactly like the sticky sweet part of pineapple upside-down cake. I mean, exactly.

Pretend you didn’t catch me enjoying this! 😂

For the sake of follow-through, I tried the pineapple old fashioned du jour that Imbibe had dropped in my inbox. It was tasty, but didn’t hit all the notes I expected after nibbling on that syrupy pineapple core. Call me greedy— I wanted the whole dessert at that point, so I came up with a twist that incorporated a bit of vanilla-scented Tuaca, an Italian brandy liqueur that seems to make everything taste a little bit like cake. I increased the amount of pineapple syrup for my drink and used smoked cinnamon bitters to further emphasize the dessert flavors.

In case you’re wondering, the drink does benefit from having fancy ice!

A drizzle of Luxardo cherry syrup syrup into the bottom of the glass gave it an “upside-down” vibe, and a classic pineapple and cherry garnish was just too obvious.

Cheers to having your cake and drinking it, too!

This process creates quite a large amount of syrup, and it only keeps for a couple of weeks in the fridge. We love the old fashioned drinks, but we couldn’t finish this in drinks alone. So I went for broke and made a carrot cake for Easter, using up a generous glug of this intense pineapple syrup to drench the layers before slathering on the lemony cream cheese icing. Dorothy loved this idea as well, especially with crushed pineapple in the cake itself. Here’s how it turned out.

Piercing the cake with a toothpick coaxes the syrup deep into the layers. Let it absorb before icing.

The syrup would also be delicious drizzled over vanilla ice cream— or, better yet, my easy cinnamon ice cream! With a cherry on top, of course! My hairstylist had another easy idea (she and I always share foodie stories), and she asked, why couldn’t you even just drizzle that syrup on a slice of pound cake and top it with some whipped cream? Yes, Julie, why the heck not?!

What would you want to do with this delicious idea?

Pineapple Upside-down Old Fashioned

Servings: 2 drinks
Prep Time: 12 hours to make the syrup
Difficulty: Easy
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This deliciously dessert-y cocktail makes use of all the scraps trimmed from a fresh pineapple, and I highly recommend seeking out the Tuaca liqueur for the cake-like notes it brings to the glass. Cheers!

Ingredients

3 oz. bourbon (I used Elijah Craig small batch, which is 94 proof)
1 oz. Tuaca liqueur (Italian brandy with notes of vanilla)
2 oz. pineapple syrup (recipe below)
2 dropper tips smoked cinnamon bitters
2 bar spoons Luxardo cherry syrup for the bottom of the glass
Pineapple chunks and Luxardo cherries to garnish

Notes: Amarena cherries or another high-end cocktail cherry brand would be a fine substitute for Luxardo. The important thing is that the syrup should be thick so that it remains at the bottom of the glass rather than blending into the drink. If you only have maraschino cherries, I’d recommend omit the syrup layer or perhaps use a syrupy grenadine for the aesthetic.

My smoked cinnamon bitters are Old Forester brand, and I found them online at Bourbon Barrel Foods. They are excellent!

Directions

Drizzle Luxardo syrup into the bottom of the glass and place a large ice rock on top of it.
Combine bourbon, Tuaca, pineapple syrup and bitters in a cocktail glass. Add a generous amount of ice and stir to mix until the outside of the mixing glass is frosty.
Strain slowly over the ice so that the cherry syrup does not incorporate. Garnish and enjoy!

Note: This cocktail recipe does require a fair amount of advance prep. Make the pineapple syrup the day before, and be sure to select a pineapple that is fully ripe for best results. Clean it really well and rinse with white vinegar solution before you begin breaking it down. This process yields about two cups of syrup, and it will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks.

Ingredients

All the rind and core pieces of a large, ripe pineapple
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (I used a combination of dark and light; Demerara sugar was suggested by my inspiration recipe)
1/2 cup boiling water

Directions

Place all the pineapple parts in a sealable bowl (break or cut them into smaller chunks if needed). Sprinkle brown sugar over the scraps and use a cocktail muddler or heavy wooden spoon to smash the sugar into the pineapple. After a few minutes, the juices will begin to soften things up. Cover and let it rest for several hours to overnight. Stir a few times as needed to keep things macerating evenly.
Pour boiling water over the macerated pineapple and stir gently to loosen up and dissolve any remaining sugar. Carefully remove the solid pieces and then strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer. Transfer to a sealable jar or bottle and keep it in the fridge.

Pineapple-Coconut Margarita

9 Comments February 21, 2024 terrie gura

Does it seem odd that the first recipe I post after the announcement of my husband’s “get healthier” initiative is a cocktail? Yes, of course it does. This is one of those awkward food blogging moments where things seem out of order. But Thursday is National Margarita Day, and I’ve been planning this post since before Les saw the light. With tequila being one of the lowest calorie spirits, I figure that a margarita is a reasonable, if only occasional, splurge. Besides, if you’re cutting back on cocktails while implementing a new eating plan, it’s best to make that once-in-a-while drink a good one, and make it at home for Margarita Day or any other day you’re craving refreshment.

I think I can see warmer weather just ahead!

The margarita is one of the easiest drinks to modify with fun, flavorful twists, and this one is working a tropical vibe with pineapple and coconut, without being overly sweet. What makes it a “margarita” (which translates to “daisy” in Spanish) is tequila, orange liqueur, fresh lime and a touch of sweetener. The rest is up for grabs; just don’t go too crazy mixing in other flavors or you’ll have yourself a boozy mess and probably feel terrible in the morning (especially if the add-ins are sweet). If you generally associate margaritas with hangovers, here’s my theory: you probably had too many, made with cheap tequila (it didn’t have a worm, did it?) and a crappy mixer, and possibly in a chain restaurant.

My personal rules for margaritas are simple— use good quality tequila, freshly squeezed citrus (never a bottled mix!) and give it a fresh garnish. We eat and drink with our eyes, and when my husband and I entertain, it seems that the garnish is what always makes guests ooh and aah, so I consider it as crucial as the other ingredients. For this drink, I’m keeping it simple with a lime slice on the edge of the glass.

This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

I love this 1800 Coconut, a blanco tequila first recommended to me by my cousin-in-law, Will. The differences between this and some other “flavored” spirits are that the coconut is subtle and natural, it has no added sugars, and— at 70 proof— it still has a nice little kick. It’s mellow enough to sip with just an ice rock (as Will does), but it is also terrific paired with another tropical flavor, especially pineapple.

This time of year, bottled pineapple juice is likely to be tastier than any fresh pineapple you’d pick up at the supermarket, and I typically choose a large bottle over the individual cans because my sensitive tastebuds pick up that tinny flavor. Choose a juice with minimal ingredients, and preferably one that is made from fresh-pressed pineapple rather than concentrate. Be sure to give it a good shake, as the heavier pulp of the juice settles to the bottom, and that’s where most of the flavor is.

The pulp solids have settled to the bottom.

Triple sec is a standard ingredient in a margarita, but I prefer the higher end, more intense orange flavor of Cointreau. Fresh lime is a must (please don’t use the bottled stuff) and to keep the drink lightly sweet, just a quick squeeze of agave syrup— paying respect to the plant that gave us tequila in the first place.

Use equal amounts of these three ingredients.

I know that some people have strong feelings about the salt rim, and I’m here to represent those who love it. But I don’t care for the commercial stuff that is “made” for margaritas, because it tends to have a slight chemical flavor and I truly hate when those gigantic chunks of salt fall into my drink. My preference is for a delicate rim of fine sea salt, which is easily adhered only to the outside of the rim after a quick swipe of fresh lime.

It’s great if you have time to do this ahead so the salt has time to set.

Finally, the ice! If you don’t already know that you can purchase a large bag of perfect pellet ice from Sonic, the drive-in fast food joint— well, now you do! This is a far cry from the crushed ice your refrigerator door will give you. Each pellet is a crystal clear chunk of flaky ice, and a scoop of this ice keeps a cocktail cold much longer than you might expect. If you’re only making a couple of drinks, a large cup of Sonic ice will probably cover it; I’ve been buying the 10-pound bags for just $3.50 and have found that it will keep in the freezer (double-bagged) for a few weeks.

The sonic ice will elevate all your tropical cocktails.

So there you have it— a tropical twist for National Margarita Day! Shake it up with plenty of ice, pour it into the icy glass, add more ice to top off the glass, garnish and enjoy. For those on a calorie budget, this tasty cocktail checks in at 211 calories, made exactly as written.

Pineapple Coconut Margarita

Servings: 1 cocktail
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Average
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Here's a fun tropical twist on a classic margarita! Use the best ingredients you can find for a memorable cocktail at home.

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. 1800 Coconut tequila
1 1/2 oz. fresh pineapple juice
1/2 oz. Cointreau
1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 oz. agave or simple syrup
Sea salt to rim the glass and a lime slice to garnish

Note: To salt the rim of the glass, swipe a fresh lime slice around the outer edge of the glass, and then roll it on salt poured out onto a plate or paper towel. Do this in advance, if possible, so that the salt has time to set as the lime juice dries.

Directions

Combine tequila, pineapple juice, Cointreau, lime juice and agave in a cocktail shaker. Add plenty of ice and shake for about 20 seconds.
Strain into a prepared cocktail glass. Top off with additional ice, if necessary, and garnish with a lime.

Blue Moon Ice Cream

8 Comments August 30, 2023 terrie gura

How in the world can an ice cream stir up such a mixed bag of emotions? That’s what I have been asking myself for the past week as I wrestled with the decision to share this post. I almost didn’t even bother, but it seems so appropriately timed to tonight’s “blue supermoon,” an astronomical phenomenon that we haven’t seen since 2009 and won’t see again until 2037. So, I reasoned, it was now or never.

But oh, the drama! Allow me to explain.

For me personally, a very specific childhood event involving this ice cream dredges up difficult feelings about being gaslighted into becoming a timid kid. I’ll spare you the dreadful details, but in some weird, wishful-thinking way, I thought that revisiting the event by making this ice cream would redeem those feelings. It didn’t, but that is not the ice cream’s fault.

The recipe itself is a bit of an enigma, given that nobody really seems to know for sure what flavors go into blue moon ice cream, and I struggled with my own memory to describe the flavor of it, which is “fruity,” but not specific to a single fruit. Is it raspberry or lemon? Almond or vanilla? In my memory, it tasted like some mashup of bubble gum, cotton candy and tropical fruit punch. Oh, and with pineapple bits. And that’s where this adventure began to go off the rails.

I pulled several extracts from my pantry for this experiment.

My search for an inspiration recipe for blue moon ice cream turned up massive volumes of denials of my own memory of it. Nearly every recipe on the internet emphatically declares (often in all caps) that “blue moon DOES NOT contain pineapple!” But here’s the problem— I was there during my childhood and the blue moon ice cream I had most certainly did contain pineapple; in fact, it was the pineapple that I remember most. Lovely little bits of crushed pineapple amid all that artificially teal ice cream base. Another thing that struck me odd about the online recipes I found was that most of them included a package of instant vanilla pudding, which sounds so wrong to me. What would instant pudding add to an ice cream, I wondered, besides more artificial flavoring? Wasn’t the teal blue color artificial enough? My iPhone camera certainly thought so!

The discrepancy of opinion on the flavor of this ice cream, and especially the pineapple, apparently results from the fact that blue moon originated in the Midwest— Michigan to be specific— and my experiences of it were in upstate New York. What I enjoyed as a kid was obviously an adaptation of the original recipe, but it was still sold as “blue moon.” Was I wrong to enjoy it that way? I can not bear this level of gaslighting.

If the argument around this was not turbulent enough, I also had the unfortunate experience of damaging my fancy new French-made food processor in the making of my blue moon ice cream. As I have done many times before, I used my processor to pulse partially frozen pineapple into smaller chunks, and this was to be mixed into the blue base at the end of churning in my ice cream freezer. But something went terribly wrong, and my processor is currently on a UPS truck, headed to the service center for a warranty repair. Was this the universe’s way of confirming that pineapple is NOT meant to be in blue moon ice cream? Good golly, what chaos!

The stem of my food processor was stripped in the process of this misadventure.

After all my tinkering with the raspberry, vanilla, lemon and almond, plus the addition of the pineapple, I’m still not sure I got it right (Les disliked it so much, he didn’t even finish a serving of it). Perhaps the proof is in the pudding, but I have neither the time nor the motivation to make blue moon ice cream again right away. At the end of this ridiculous string of events, I decided that it was at least worth sharing because it does move an item to the done column of my culinary bucket list, and just in time for tonight’s blue supermoon. Blue moon ice cream is now completed, and even though I didn’t particularly appreciate the resulting flavor, I did learn an important lesson, which can be summed up in a line from a Don Henley tune:

Out on the road today, I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac.
A little voice inside my head said, “don’t look back, you can never look back.

Don Henley ~ “The Boys of Summer”

I wish I had left blue moon ice cream in my memories, where it still held mystery and intrigue. It could be that 11-year old Terrie enjoyed it just because it was different from the mint chocolate chip ice cream that everyone else my age was screaming for that summer. I probably should have followed my own advice about recipes and disregarded the “alternate facts” presented by so many others on the internet regarding the pineapple. Finally, if I hadn’t pushed so hard to make sense of the whole thing, I could be making hummus or spiralizing zucchini or pureeing fresh tomatoes into gazpacho today. Instead, I’m checking the UPS tracking to be sure my food processor arrives at the warranty service center in one piece. I hope it get it back in time for Thanksgiving.

As for the blue supermoon, I wanted to be excited about it as well. Supermoons are fairly common during the summer, but the odds of a blue moon (second full moon during a single month) also being a supermoon (appearing closer and larger than usual) are extraordinary. The blue supermoon will be a spectacle to behold, beginning after 9pm ET tonight. But I learned today that this supermoon— which is expected to exaggerate high tide— will likely wreak additional havoc on the gulf coast of Florida, where folks are already underwater from Hurricane Idalia.

At least I know my ice cream didn’t cause that.

For those of you wishing to recreate this astronomical mishap, here’s an easy, click-to-print recipe for you. Pineapple, of course, is optional. 😉

Blue Moon Ice Cream (WITH pineapple)

Servings: About 8
Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus chilling and churning
Cook Time: None
Difficulty: Average
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This recipe is my best effort at recreating a childhood favorite. Adjust the flavors to your liking, and decide for yourself whether to add the pineapple.

Ingredients

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (regular or fat free is fine)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 1/2 tsp. raspberry extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. pure lemon oil
1/8 tsp. Fiori di Sicilia extract (optional, and probably redundant to the lemon and vanilla)
2 Tbsp. cream of coconut (for extra sweetness)
1/2 tsp. blue food coloring gel (this is more concentrated than liquid colorant)
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits (added during final few minutes of churning)

Most recipes for the “Midwest” version of blue moon ice cream do not include the pineapple, so adding them is entirely up to you. The ice cream I knew and loved from my childhood in Western N.Y. included pineapple, so my nostalgia required it. 😉

Directions

Combine condensed milk, whole milk and heavy cream in a large mixing bowl or pitcher.
Stir in extracts, a little at a time if you wish, and adjust flavors to taste. Stir in food coloring gel. Refrigerate until base is completely chilled.
Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions, adding partially frozen pineapple bits during the final few minutes.
Transfer to an insulated ice cream container and freeze several hours to overnight, until firm.

Spicy Pineapple Daiquiri

6 Comments July 19, 2023 terrie gura

I know, I know, the whole “national-whatever-day” may seem a little overboard to some, but the idea of dropping a spotlight onto a special food or drink is fun for me. Without this occasion of National Daiquiri Day, I’d be muddling through a regular old, hum-drum Wednesday. Oh yes, this is much better!

If you have never made a daiquiri, I can tell you from experience that it is one of the simplest cocktails out there. Rum, sugar and lime is the essence of this drink, though you have probably also seen variations that included strawberry, and options for the drink to be served frozen, almost like a slushy. Given the brutal heat that is gripping so much of the U.S. this week, nobody would argue against a slushy cocktail right about now, right?

When people are paid fairly for producing excellent products, everyone wins!

For my fun, Comfort du Jour spin, I’ve applied one of my favorite flavor combinations for a spicy-meets-tropical twist on a classic daiquiri. Fresh pineapple and a Serrano-infused simple syrup are the stars of this show. The syrup can be made ahead in a matter of minutes, and if you don’t have Serrano on hand, a jalapeño will do just fine. Any sugar can be used, but I love the richer, warmer flavor of turbinado, and we always shell out a little extra for fair trade. Equal parts water and sugar will make the simple syrup, and a cut up Serrano adds the spicy zip. Intensify the heat, if you’d like, by keeping the pepper’s seeds and membranes intact during infusion. Or scoop them out first for a milder bite. I’ll bet you can guess what we did at our house!

Cool it down completely, then strain out the pepper chunks and transfer it to a jar or bottle. Keep the syrup in the fridge until you’re ready to mix. Breaking down a fresh pineapple is easy to do, as you’ll see below. This one was so fresh and juicy, and the aroma was positively intoxicating!

Wash the pineapple first, then cut off the top and bottom. Use a sharp knife to trim off thin slices of the peel, then go back around to catch any eyes that remain. Quarter it, then slice through the wedges to remove the core. I kept a few of the fresh leaves to use as garnish in a different kind of cocktail. 🙂

I used the sweetest, freshest pineapple, and I highly recommend that you choose one at its peak ripeness. Not sure how to tell? Check out this article for tips on selecting the best of the bunch, and if you need help finding other ways to enjoy the rest of your perfect pineapple, I’ve placed a carousel of ideas at the end of the post, just after the click-to-print recipe.

The other ingredients in my daiquiri are simple and obvious— light rum, and for this beauty, I relied on Sungrazer golden rum from Broad Branch Distillery, our favorite local spirits provider. But any light rum that isn’t “spiced” or “aged” will work great here. Fresh lime is important; please don’t ever use the green plastic squeezy bottle when making a cocktail. Your taste buds deserve the real deal! And you’ll need ice, of course, either for shaking the drink or (as I opted) blending it right in.

You can pour your spicy pineapple daiquiri over fresh ice or straight into a chilled coupe glass, as you wish. Doesn’t it look just like liquid sunshine?

Spicy Pineapple Daiquiri

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes (for simple syrup)
Difficulty: Average
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One of my favorite heat-sweet combinations is flinging a classic daiquiri into spicy-meets-tropical territory!

Ingredients

4 oz. light or golden rum
1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks
Juice of one large lime
1 oz. Serrano-infused simple syrup (see below)
1 cup ice (for blending)
Lime and fresh pineapple for garnish

Directions

Combine all ingredients except garnish in the pitcher of a blender and process until ice is finely blended and mixture is somewhat frothy. Divide between chilled cocktail glasses and garnish with thinly sliced lime and pineapple.
Alternatively, you may add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake until the outside of the container is frosty. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass and garnish as desired.

Serrano-infused Simple Syrup: Combine 1/2 cup each sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to slight boil. Stir in a chopped Serrano chile pepper. Remove from heat and steep until cool. Strain out chile pieces and transfer syrup to a jar or bottle. Refrigerate up to three weeks.

Here’s some more fun pineapple recipes!

Tiki Cocktail Skillet Cake

by terrie gura May 30, 2023

Grilled Pineapple-Jalapeno Ice Cream

by terrie gura July 19, 2020

A Couple of Jerks (pizzas, that is)

by terrie gura July 17, 2020

Orange & Honey-Ginger Fruit Salad

by terrie gura July 15, 2021

Tiki Cocktail Skillet Cake

28 Comments May 30, 2023 terrie gura

On a recent grocery run, I was stopped in my tracks in the produce section by a stunning display of fresh pineapple. Their luscious fragrance caught me first, and those golden beauties were staring me in the face, just begging to go home with me. All the way home, I imagined whipping up some fun tiki drinks, one of my hubby’s favorites. I also considered making a classic pineapple upside-down cake, though I don’t have a great track record with dessert baking. It isn’t for lack of trying; rather, it’s a matter of getting into my own head in a way that messes me up. Still, I’d try it. And then, as I was putting away groceries, a crazy thought hit me.

Could it be a terrible idea to combine the two? Throw a little Comfort du Jour curveball on a pineapple upside-down cake by applying all the tropical flavors of a tiki drink? The magical combination of rum, pineapple, coconut and lime is the flavor equivalent to summer sunshine, and once the idea hit me to include them in a cake— with my good cocktail cherries, of course— well, there was no turning back!

It was every bit as delicious as it looked!

As I gathered up my ingredients to get started, I realized all at once the source of my frustrations with baking sweet treats. It’s me. Yep, it’s my own fault I’m a lousy sweets baker.

But this recipe proved I can break free of that negative self-talk. I just needed to be diligent.

My muse is frequently five or more steps ahead of my mind and my hands, and the exuberance that kicks in when I start making on-the-fly adjustments to a perfectly good recipe is exactly what gets me into trouble. I confuse myself with too many ideas for substitutions, throwing off the ratios that are so necessary for good baking results. It makes me crazy after hours spent in the kitchen on a recipe that seemed so promising at the start.

When I have a crappy result, I inevitably swear off baking— and I am using the word swear quite intentionally. Then, when my persistent muse comes around again, I repeat the whole scenario, sometimes verbatim. But for this cake, I pledged to slow down, chart my substitution ideas more thoughtfully, read the recipe (twice), and truly organize my ingredients into pre-measured amounts (not just put their pantry containers on the counter) to reduce the chances of disaster. And what do you know?— it worked!

I could not have been more organized for this project, right down to pre-arranging the pineapple!

My baseline recipe was a skillet version of pineapple upside-down cake that I found on the King Arthur Baking website, my go-to for all things baking. I imagined the wonderful flavors of a tiki cocktail and started rounding up my substitutions.

I wanted rum in the brown sugar topping, and in the cake batter itself. Sweetened flaked coconut would be great in the batter, but that wouldn’t be enough flavor so I’d swap out some of the sugar in favor of this sweet cream of coconut— the same stuff I use in a real tiki cocktail. Key lime juice would spike it with a touch of citrus, but just a touch. Almond extract would play the role of orgeat, the nutty-sweet syrup ingredient that is so distinctively tiki-ish. Our bourbon-drenched cocktail cherries felt more appropriate than the artificially colored bright red maraschinos, and it would be another touch of boozy, grownup candy goodness. And then, of course, my lovely fresh pineapple would be the centerpiece.

The cream of coconut made a big flavor difference, and I put lime juice in the rum and almond extract into the vanilla.

With my ingredients measured and in order, following the recipe roadmap was a cinch. The topping was easy, just melting together brown sugar and butter, and then boosting it with a shot of Jamaican rum. I let it get nice and bubbly, then turned off the heat and arranged the pineapple slices. The cherry halves would come later.

I creamed together the butter and cream of coconut, then gradually beat in the sugar. Next came the egg yolks, the flavorings and the flour-milk-flour-milk-flour additions. Alternating those ensures more even blending without overmixing. The egg whites, which were whipped separately, were folded in at the end and I spooned the batter over the brown sugar butter mixture that held the pineapple slices in the skillet.

What a world of difference it made to have my ingredients measured and ready!

The baking time was true to the recipe (my toothpick said so), and I inverted the cake onto a serving platter to cool. There’s a sweet spot in timing the inversion from a hot skillet; too soon and the cake may fall apart, too long and the toppings will stick and you’ll be patching them into place. Aim for 15 to 20 minutes for best results, then immediately press the cocktail cherry halves into place while the topping is still warm and gooey. Cool it completely before serving. Waiting to enjoy it was the hard part!

Dont’ rush this step, or the cake may fall apart.

I served my tiki cocktail cake with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, spiked with more booze of course, as well as a lime twist and a sprinkling of toasted coconut.

So was it worth the trouble? Mostly, yes. The cake was really delicious— definitely boozy, as intended— and the coconut and pineapple were solid co-stars. It had the perfect hint of almond, but the key lime was barely detectable, and next time I would probably just grate a little lime zest over the cake at serving time. The boozy cherries, as much as I love them, got lost a little bit with all the tropical flavors swirling around them, but they were still a nice little nod to a traditional upside-down cake.

The biggest victory for me was seeing the success that resulted from my planning and, for once, I didn’t swear off baking when this was finished. To the contrary, I’m already imagining my next cocktail-to-cake creation. Any suggestions? 😄

Tiki Cocktail Skillet Cake

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: Average
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A few thoughtful ingredient swaps turned a classic cake into tropical tiki territory. You might say that I'm having my cake and drinking it, too!

Ingredients

1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) salted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 Tbsp. rum (I used Jamaican dark rum)
Fresh or canned pineapple rings, drained
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or additional all-purpose)
1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. fine salt
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, room temp
1/4 cup cream of coconut
3/4 cup cane sugar
2 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup, minus 2 Tbsp. milk (see recipe notes)
2 Tbsp. rum (Jamaican again)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. key lime juice
Cocktail cherries, halved (use as many as you have pineapple rings)

Having all my ingredients measured and lined up before beginning made all the difference in the world for my successful outcome. Separate the eggs while they are cold, but let them come to room temperature before you start the recipe.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F, with rack in center position.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, coconut, baking powder and salt. Set bowl aside.
Cut unsalted butter into chunks to quicken softening. Separate the eggs, keeping the whites in a large bowl to be whipped. This will be added to the batter just before baking. Combine milk and 2 Tbsp rum in a measuring glass and set aside.
While all the ingredients are coming to room temperature, prepare the pineapple topping. Melt salted butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar and whisk until combined and just beginning to bubble. Turn off heat and stir in 2 Tbsp of the rum. Give the skillet a few gentle shakes to settle the mixture evenly in the skillet. Arrange the pineapple slices as desired.
Cream butter and cream of coconut together in the bowl of a stand mixer, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. When mixture is lighter and somewhat fluffy, gradually add sugar, beating and scraping down sides as needed.
Use an electric hand mixer to whip the egg whites until light and airy but not broken. Set aside.
Add one egg at a time to the batter, beating until well combined after each. Beat in vanilla, almond and lime juice.
Alternate addition of the flour mixture and milk as follows: 1/3 flour mixture stirred in until smooth. Next, 1/2 milk mixture. Then 1/3 flour mixture, remaining milk, remaining flour mixture. Scrape down sides and blend as evenly as possible without overworking the batter.
Give the egg whites a quick whisk again, then gently fold them into the batter, taking care to mix only until the whites are not distinguishable in the batter. Gently spoon the batter over top of the pineapple topping. Use a spatula to smooth out the top.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for about 15 minutes.
Run a knife or offset spatula around edges of the skillet to loosen the outer edge of the cake. Invert onto a plate or serving platter. Immediately place the cocktail cherries into the topping, pressing gently to set them into caramelized sugar.
Cool cake completely. Cut into wedges and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, spiked with cointreau or coconut rum. Sprinkled with toasted coconut.

Orange & Honey-Ginger Fruit Salad

6 Comments July 15, 2021 terrie gura

You didn’t know it when you opened this post, but you are about to witness something that doesn’t happen all that often in my kitchen—a simple, two-ingredient twist that will transform a basic fruit bowl into a mouthwatering side dish that is almost as sumptuous as dessert. Unlike some of my other “make-the-whole-thing-from-scratch” ideas, this one really is ridiculously simple. You can apply this easy twist to virtually any kind of fruit, including pre-cut if you are short on time, and the fruit itself does not have to be fancy. Look at my salad again—it’s only pineapple, grapes and berries. What elevates this simple fruit combo into an elegant and special treat is the dressing.

It may be that you have never considered “dressing” a fruit salad, but why? We don’t often see a vegetable salad served dry, and fruit is just as worthy of dressing up a bit. Dressing a fruit salad is not only tasty; it also helps the fruit retain moisture and color. Try this once and you’ll be craving fresh fruit salad every day.

The dressing for this salad depends on two special ingredients that can only be purchased in a boutique olive oil and balsamic vinegar shop, and they are worth every penny. You have probably seen one of these stores, with all their shiny stainless steel containers lined up on a high table. Those containers, called “fustis,” hold exquisitely flavored extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars, ingredients which have uncanny power to change the way you cook. In the spirit of full disclosure, I will tell you that I used to work in one of those shops here in my city, and it was one of my most fun jobs ever—a true foodie fantasy, come true!

These days, nobody is paying me to share about these products, but I feel compelled to do so because of the one question we received over and again at the shop, from customers who enjoyed the flavors but asked, “what would I ever do with it?” Part of my job as a sales associate was taking home various products and coming back with inspiration for the home cooks who shopped our store. I guess you could say I took my job seriously, because I’m still doing it. 🙂

The combination I’ve used for this fruit salad is blood orange-fused extra virgin olive oil and honey-ginger white balsamic vinegar. The vinegar has a slight tartness to it, but it is mostly sweet with the warmth of honey, and the ginger is subtle but present. The olive oil is rich with the flavor of blood orange, because the oranges and olives are pressed together during production. The result is so good, it makes itself at home in sweet and savory dishes alike.

At the end of the post, I’ll share some other ideas for using up these two ingredients.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks, cut into bite-sized bits

1 heaping cup fresh strawberries, sliced into quarters

1 cup fresh large blueberries

1 cup fresh white seedless grapes

3 Tbsp. honey-ginger white balsamic vinegar* (see notes)

3 Tbsp. blood orange whole fruit-fused extra virgin olive oil*

Lime zest or fresh chopped mint or basil, optional for garnish

*Notes

I wish I could offer up a universal brand name for the olive oil and balsamics that I use, but they are bottled under various franchised shop names. Here’s a tip—if you have this type of store in your community, ask for the name of the supplier. If it is Veronica Foods, you’re in the right place. 😊

Instructions

Wash your fruit just before assembling the salad, and it’s best to add berries just before serving or they tend to get mushy. Combine all the fruit in a bowl large enough for easy tossing in the dressing.

Pour the honey-ginger white balsamic into a small bowl, or a glass measuring cup for easier pouring. Slowly pour the olive oil into the balsamic, whisking quickly and constantly, until the mixture is thick and syrupy.

Immediately pour the dressing over the fruit and toss gently to coat the fruit. Serve right away or refrigerate up to one hour before serving.

If you would like to put a little extra pizzazz onto the salad, sprinkle with fresh lime zest or thin strips of fresh mint or basil.

Whisk the olive oil into the white balsamic vinegar to create an emulsion. The more you whisk, the thicker it will become.

Orange and Honey-Ginger Fruit SaladPrint it!

Looking for more ways to use your blood orange-fused olive oil?

Substitute for the equal amount of oil in your favorite carrot cake recipe

Use it in a marinade for chicken or fish

Drizzle a teaspoon over dark chocolate ice cream (yes, really!)

Toss vegetables in it before roasting

Use it in your favorite pancake or waffle recipe

Need ideas for using up the honey-ginger white balsamic?

Try it an any salad dressing, especially Asian-inspired salads

Use it in a marinade for chicken, fish, shrimp or pork

Add a splash to a cocktail or white sangria

Drizzle it onto vegetables after grilling or roasting

Add a tablespoon to your water bottle for flavorful summer hydration

Pineapple-Cilantro Mexican Mule

4 Comments June 22, 2021 terrie gura

With summer officially underway (as of Sunday at 11:32 p.m. EDT), I intend to be sufficiently armed with a lineup of refreshing, easy summer cocktails. We are finally getting back into the swing of life—fully vaccinated, planning summer travel, and enjoying the long overdue, in-person company of friends and loved ones. This makes me very happy, because one of the great common denominators for me and my husband, Les, is our delight in entertaining. Last weekend, we were pleased to have one of his fellow Yankees over for dinner, though the reference to Yankee is strictly a geographic one, as both Les and his friend, Dave, are native New Yorkers who happen to love the Mets.

While the guys talked sports in the air-conditioned comfort of our living room, I whipped up a batch of these pineapple-cilantro mules. It is my fruity, south-of-the-border twist on a classic Moscow mule, which uses vodka, lime and ginger beer. I have swapped in silver tequila and muddled some fresh pineapple and cilantro in the bottom of the copper mug. These two ingredients play especially nice together, and Dave, who initially noted that he has not enjoyed tequila since that bad experience in his younger days (you know what I mean because we all have one) joined me for a second round.

This summery, chill cocktail is refreshing and simple to make. We have been enjoying the 1800 Coconut tequila (the same ingredient highlighted in the tequila & lime pie), but any straight silver tequila would be delicious. If you are still cringing over any tequila mishaps from your own youth, swap in a light rum and call it a twist on a mojito—no worries. 😀

Any quality brand of ginger beer will work, but I recently discovered the Q brand of cocktail mixers, and the company’s ginger beer is extra spicy and delicious, thanks to a pinch of cayenne.

I am generally not keen to have bits of anything floating in my drink, but the crushed ice keeps the muddled fruit and cilantro well-contained in the bottom of the mug.

Use fresh pineapple for best results, and if you don’t have copper mugs, go with a short rocks glass. Cheers!

The pineapple and cilantro work very well together, but if cilantro is not a favorite, the drink will be refreshing and delicious without it.

Makes 2 drinks

Ingredients

A couple of chunks of fresh pineapple for each mug bottom

A couple of sprigs of fresh cilantro for each mug bottom

3 oz. 1800 Coconut (or other silver) tequila

Juice of 1/2 lime

1 oz. canned or fresh pineapple juice

1 can or bottle ginger beer

Plenty of crushed ice

Instructions

My wooden cocktail muddler has a textured surface for crushing ingredients in the bottom of a cocktail glass or shaker.
Muddling releases all the flavors of the pineapple and cilantro, and the crushed ice will keep them from floating around in my drink.
Shake the tequila, pineapple juice and lime and strain over the crushed ice. Top with as much ginger beer as your mug has room for!
Garnish with a lime, cilantro, pineapple wedge or whatever else makes you happy! 🙂

Muddle the pineapple and cilantro together in the bottom of the mugs, using a cocktail muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill the mugs about 2/3 full with crushed ice.

Combine tequila, pineapple juice and freshly squeezed lime in a cocktail shaker. Add about 1 cup of ice cubes and shake about 30 seconds, until the shaker is uncomfortably cold.

Strain the cocktail into the ice-filled mugs. Top with ginger beer. Garnish as desired. Repeat at your own risk.

Pineapple-Cilantro Mexican MulePrint it!

Grilled Pineapple-Jalapeno Ice Cream

2 Comments July 19, 2020 terrie gura

Inspiration for nearly every original recipe I’ve made comes from my experience with the same combination of ingredients in a different type of dish. For example, I love the balance of flavors in pineapple salsa, especially served up alongside fresh grilled foods in the summertime. So why not take the two key elements of the salsa—pineapple and hot pepper—and cross them over into new territory as a dessert? That’s precisely what I’ve done with this unusual ice cream. Holy. Moly. The distinct jalapeno flavor is subtle throughout, thanks to an infused simple syrup, but it’s definitely the sweetness of the pureed pineapple taking the lead. The creamy ice cream is accentuated even further with pieces of sweet grilled pineapple and the tiny bits of candied jalapeno, left over from the syrup creation.

I love the smooth and creamy texture of a custard-based ice cream, so that’s where this recipe begins. Proper tempering of the egg yolks is key to the outcome, so be patient and watch it closely. If you’re not quite ready for the jalapeno flavor, I’m quite certain the ice cream would be good without it. But if you’re game for a tropical flavor adventure, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2/3 cup sugar, divided

3 egg yolks

Pinch kosher salt

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. Fiori di Sicilia* (optional, but yum)

2 oz. jalapeno simple syrup (recipe below)

1 cup pureed fresh pineapple*

1/2 cup grilled pineapple pieces*

2 Tbsp. candied jalapeno pieces (reserved from making simple syrup)

1 Tbsp. neutral alcohol, such as vodka or light rum* (optional, but improves ice cream texture)

*Notes

Fiori di Sicilia is a unique Italian extract, featuring very concentrated citrus and vanilla flavors. It’s optional in this recipe, but adds a special flair. Look for it in specialty stores or online from King Arthur Flour.

It may be best to puree the pineapple just before freezing the ice cream, to preserve the beautiful fresh color.

Earlier in the week, I had grilled pineapple for our Jamaican Jerk pizzas, and I reserved enough pieces to use for this ice cream. If you like pineapple with bold spicy flavors, you’ll want to circle back and check out those pies!

Grilling the pineapple really elevates its sweetness in a lovely way, but don’t let this be a deal-breaker. If you’re pressed for time, skip the grilling and use fresh pineapple bits or even canned tidbits (but drain them first).

The addition of alcohol is optional, but it helps to improve the texture of the ice cream. I used 1800 coconut-flavored tequila, another nod to the tropical flavors.

Instructions

Stir together milk, heavy cream and about half the sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, and mixture comes to a very slight boil. Reduce heat to lowest setting or turn off burner.
While milk mixture is heating, whisk egg yolks, the remaining sugar and kosher salt until light, fluffy and lemon colored. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed, to ensure all sugar gets incorporated.
Prepare an ice bath to be used for cooling the custard. Place a heat-proof glass bowl over another bowl filled with ice cubes and water. It will be helpful to have this ready when the custard has finished cooking.
Ladle out 1 cup of hot milk mixture into a measuring cup with a pour spout. Temper eggs by slowly drizzling hot milk into the mixing bowl, whisking the entire time. Then, return the egg mixture back to the pot with the remaining hot milk and cream. Simmer on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until custard retains shape on the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat and pour through a mesh strainer into a bowl over ice water to cool custard. I’ll confess here that I often skip this step when making a custard-based ice cream, but the flame seemed a little hot under my pan this time and I wanted to cool it down quickly before the eggs got any ideas about curdling. Stir in vanilla, Fiori di Sicilia and jalapeno simple syrup. Lay heavy plastic wrap directly onto surface of custard, then cover entire bowl with another layer of plastic or tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate overnight.
The next day, add pineapple puree to chilled custard just before freezing according to manufacturer’s instructions. After 20 minutes, add grilled pineapple pieces and candied jalapeno pieces for final few minutes of churning, adding vodka or rum in final minute.

Here’s a slideshow to help you visualize the process:

My sugar is on the coarse side, but a cooked custard base will be more forgiving. The yolks are bright and orange at the start, but after whipping with the sugar, they’ll be frothy and lemon-colored.
Take your time drizzling the hot cream mixture into the whipped eggs. This will slowly bring up the temperature of the eggs so they begin to cook without curdling.
Return the tempered egg mixture to the pan and cook gently until the custard coats the back of a spoon and keeps its shape when you draw a line through it.
Cooling in an ice bath helps avoid possible curdling of the custard. I don’t always do this step, but the custard finished more quickly than expected. If that happens, it’s game over, please try again. Always good to have the ice water bath ready, just in case.
Lay the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin forming and condensation that could crystallize in our final ice cream.
I pureed the pineapple in my smoothie blender just before churning the ice cream. This guaranteed no separation or discoloration of the sweet, fresh pineapple.
Pour the blended custard mixture into the ice cream machine and wait for the magic to happen.
Wait until the last few minutes of churning to add the pineapple and jalapeno bits. I wish you guys could smell how delicious this is already!
This recipe makes a perfect 1 1/2 quarts. Cover and freeze at least four hours, and preferably overnight.

Transfer ice cream to insulated freezer container and freeze at least four hours to ripen. I know it’s tempting to dive right in for a scoop, but this ice cream will be at its best after an overnight freeze.

Oh my, is that a perfect looking scoop? 🙂

Jalapeno simple syrup

1 cup pure cane sugar

3/4 cup filtered water

2 smallish jalapenos, seeded and diced

Heat sugar and water over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and syrup begins to lightly boil at the edges. Add jalapeno pieces and stir, cooking about 2 minutes at low heat. Turn off heat, cool completely, strain jalapenos (reserve them) and keep syrup in a covered jar in the fridge up to 2 weeks.

Want to print this ice cream recipe?

Grilled Pineapple-Jalapeno Ice CreamDownload and Get Happy

FYI, you will only use 2 oz. of the jalapeno syrup in the ice cream recipe. Save the rest for elevating your tropical flavored cocktails—maybe this Watermelon Jalapeno Mule!