My hetero-life mate, Seth decided to get older today, not sure what he was thinking but who am I to judge. Anyway, another year in the books for my friend, so it is only fitting that I make something fruity and full of rum for the fella who made me appreciate Tiki drinks and bars as the wonderful escape from reality that they are. So in his honor, we’re making the classic Painkiller. 

It is a wonderful drink, like a grown up piña colada, more rum forward, but still delightfully tropical. Plus, it is shaken, which is way more fun than running a blender. So grab your tins and thrown in four ounces of pineapple juice an ounce of orange juice an ounce of creme of coconut and 2 ounces of a navy strength rum, I went with that amazing Smith + Cross. Toss in some ice and give it a good shake. Strain over ice into an official drinking vessel with a deep tiki heritage and grate a bit of nutmeg over the top. Garnish with some pineapple spears, maybe one of those luxardo cherries. Laugh to yourself since Seth often would order drinks “no fruit”. Pop in a reusable straw and have a sip. Sweet, rum forward, cool and refreshing, like a proper tiki drink should be.

So, there you go, a good drink for a good friend. It may not seem like much, but when the world doesn’t make sense, there is solace in ritual and remembering that the only thing that makes it all worth the trouble is the people you meet along the way. Stay safe, stay hydrated and stay sane, my friends.