How the Lava Flow Cocktail Got Its Name
The only thing you can probably associate with lava is a volcano you read about in geography class. So, hearing that there is a drink going by the name “Lava Flow” must have you wondering what the connection with molten rocks is. In Hawaii, the Lava Flow may not be the most popular cocktail, but it still is on nearly every bar menu. It is beloved in the summer due to how refreshing it is. You, however, do not have to wait until you are in Hawaii to taste the Lava Flow cocktail. You can learn how to make it here as we also enlighten you on how the drink got its name.
A Little Background on Hawaii islands Formation
About 132 islands form the Hawaiian Islands, and according to National Geographic, they were formed by the volcanic hot spot. The crust of the Earth comprises tectonic plates, and sometimes volcanoes form in the middle or at the joints of tectonic plates. As a volcano erupts, the molten rock or magma rises upwards to the earth’s surface, creating a hotspot. The Hawaiian Islands are believed to have been formed when a hot spot was created in the Pacific Ocean. The hot pot remained stationary, but as the tectonic plates kept moving over it, gigantic volcanic mountains formed on the Pacific Ocean’s floor, resulting in a string of islands. One of the Hawaiian Islands, the Island of Hawai’i comprises five separate volcanoes. Two of them are shield volcanoes – Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea are among the world’s most active volcanos. Once magma hits the surface of the Earth, it is referred to as lava. The lava appears as a shade of orange due to the excessive heat it erupts from when coming out of the Earth’s crust. Its temperature ranges between 700 degrees Celsius and 1,200 degrees Celsius. Sometimes, it is very fluid; other times it is stiff and can hardly flow. The viscosity depends on the silica content; the distance the lava flows also depends on the viscosity and volume of eruption. Some only flow up to 10 meters while others reach 100 meters.
The “Lava Flow” Connection
With such a connection to volcanoes and lava, it is no wonder that Hawaii had to have a drink named “Lava Flow,” and it is with good reason. According to Wisegeek, the cocktail comprises 1.5 ounces of rum, half a banana, crushed ice, pureed strawberries, coconut cream, and pineapple juice. You can make it by blending the strawberry puree with the rum and pouring the mixture into a hurricane glass. Next, rinse the blender and mix the pineapple juice, coconut cream, banana, and crushed ice. The strawberry mixture is poured into a glass first because once you pour the other blended ingredients, it rises to the top of the glass to create a lava flow effect. The key to achieving the lava flow effect is, therefore, blending the red and white mixtures separately and pouring the red mixture first. This is not to say that you cannot still blend all the ingredients for a cocktail. What you end up with will be tasty, but it cannot be appropriately referred to as Lava Flow.
Is It the Same as Miami Vice?
According to Sweet Southern Blue, Lava Flow is another name for Miami Vice. The author explains that Miami Vice is half Piña Colada and half Strawberry Daquiri, and the only difference is that Lava Flow is creamier. Piña Coladas are made from coconut cream, pineapple juice, and rum and then served with ice. These are some of the ingredients in the Lava Flow. Strawberry Daquiri, on the other hand, is made from strawberries, lime or lemon juice, rum, ice, and sugar. With this insight, referring to the Lava Flow as Miami Vice is wrong because the former does not have lime juice or sugar. Instead, the Lava FLow has bananas, but First Law Comic is also misleading by referring to Lava Flow as a mixture of Piña Colada and Banana Daquiri. Banana Daquiri comprises rum, bananas, lime juice, coconut cream, ice, and sugar. The addition of lime juice and sugar once again are not the requirements for making the Lava Flow. It is safe to conclude that Lava Flow is not in any way a version of Miami Vice, nor can the two names be used interchangeably.
Variations of the Lava Flow
Lava flow does not necessarily have to contain alcohol for you to enjoy it. For a kids’ party, you can make a non-alcoholic Lava Flow by using the same ingredients as those in an alcoholic drink but skip the rum. According to Mauno Loa, you will need two tablespoons of coconut cream, 4 ounces of pineapple juice, 2.5 ounces of frozen strawberries, 2.5 ounces of coconut milk, a pineapple wedge for garnishing and two scoops of ice cream. Combine the frozen strawberries, an ounce of pineapple juice, and an ounce of coconut milk in a high-powered blender until you have a slushy-like texture. You can use more pineapple juice until you have the required texture. Put the mixture in a cup and freeze it. Next, rinse the blender and add the remaining coconut milk, 2 ounces of pineapple juice, coconut cream, and ice cream. Blend, while adding more pineapple juice a little at a time until you have a thick texture. When done, pour the two mixtures in alternating layers but for the ultimate Lava Flow drink, pour the strawberry mixture first, then the white mixture, and watch as the lava flow effect comes to life. Also, the Lava Flow does not have to be red. Since lava is a shade of orange, you can still have it with some yellow by replacing the frozen strawberries with mangoes or frozen orange juice. Alternatively, you can create the lava flow effect with other colors such as green or purple. The green color can be achieved by blending a green apple and a celery stalk while purple is attained using frozen blackberries or blueberries.
