Summer in Texas arrives sooner than expected. And once summer weather starts, it gets very hot.

When the daytime temperatures rise, I make Pina Coladas in the backyard.

Singing a little tune while happily making cocktails is my own healing time.

As the scent of coconut fills the air while making a Pina Colada, the magic happens, and that spot transforms into a Caribbean beach.

The origin of the Pina Colada dates back to 1954 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

It was bartender Ramon "Monchito" Marrero at the Caribe Hilton Hotel who first mixed rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice.

According to records, it took him three months of experimentation to perfect the recipe.

This wasn't just a guess; he was a bartender who approached it with a lot of research.

In 1978, it was designated as Puerto Rico's official national drink, and even today, if you go to San Juan, there's a serious debate among locals about who makes the original Pina Colada.

The recipe is simple. You only need three ingredients.

- 60ml white rum
- 45ml coconut cream
- 90ml pineapple juice

Add plenty of ice and blend for 30 seconds. Pour it into a glass and top it with a slice of pineapple, and you're done.

However, coconut cream is different from coconut milk. If you confuse the two, the taste will change completely, so be careful.

Using Bacardi White or Don Q Claro rum is sufficient. There's no need for expensive rum; the coconut flavor covers it all.

Who drinks Pina Coladas?

Statistically, it's people on vacation, weekend barbecue hosts, and those worn out by the heat.

And to be honest, cocktail enthusiasts often avoid it because they find it "too sweet." That's why I don't add brown sugar.

Whiskey drinkers don't even consider this a cocktail.

But there's a reason Rupert Holmes' song "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" hit number one on the Billboard charts in 1982.

People feel an escape instinct with this drink. There's nothing wrong with a little reality escape; sometimes it's necessary.

This is my thought: the Pina Colada is a simply well-made product.

Three ingredients, one combination, perfect results.

In today's world, how rare is the value of such a simple combination?

This weekend, take out your blender and give it a try. It's much easier to make than you might think.