Bikini Atol
This is a rum-based variation on an Old Fashioned. I've been making a roasted pineapple syrup for tropical-leaning aquavit and gin sours and thought, "Why not just stir a spoonful into some dark rum for a very subtly fruity, summery take on an Old FaShioned-style cocktail?" One of our employees named it The Beauty.
Serves 1
For the drink:
2 1/2 ounces dark rum
1 to 2 teaspoons roasted pineapple syrup (start with 1 tsp take a tiny taste and add another if you'd like it sweeter)
2 dashes Angostura bitters (I also like it with Bittercube Jamaican #1 bitters)
Stir all ingredients with ice until just chilled The Beauty, then strain into a double rocks glass over a large ice cube.
For the roasted pineapple syrup:
1 ripe pineapple
2 1/2 cups sugar
Preheat the oven to 400° F. To make pineapple syrup, peel the pineapple, quarter it, and slice it into 1-inch chunks. Spread the pineapple pieces on a baking pan and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until deep yellow and juicy, with brown spots starting to appear.
Transfer to a large cooking pot and add the sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain The Beauty, then keep the syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.