Fall is officially here. But here in California, it is still warm. While it gets darker a little bit earlier, and the sunless mornings feel like the middle of the night when the alarm goes off, there are just a few leaves on the ground and few people have started to decorate their homes for Halloween or even attempted to make any pumpkin recipes. While I am craving cool weather and the rain, I discovered this beverage at my friend’s birthday party in Hermosa Beach from (what we in California refer to so eloquently as) the “taco guy”.
Delicious Agua de Pina.
This pineapple juice , or ” Agua de Pina ” (as Rafael said it’s called at his home) really hit the spot on a sunny Sunday. I was amazed at how delicious but so refreshingly real this juice recipe tasted. It was like drinking a fresh pineapple. How is it after all these years in California , considering this is an an easy, traditional way to make homemade juice that most Mexican families in Los Angeles make, I’ve never seen it before? Mixed with champagne or sparkling wine (which I did at the party) the drink evolves into something completely unique and new – a step up from a Mimosa. Just simply delicious.
Per Rafael, he used 6 ripe pineapples to 4 gallons of water to fill a 5 gallon container for the party. I’ve adjusted the recipe to make approximately a little over a quart.
- 1 ripe Pineapple
- 3 1/2 Cups Water
- Sugar to taste (about a 1/2 Cup) or Honey or Agave Nectar
Use a knife to cut the skin of the pineapple off.
Cut into small chunks.
Blend 1/2 of the pineapple with 1/2 of the water and strain into quart sized pitcher.
Blend the remaining pineapple and water and strain into the pitcher.
Done!