Photo Credit: http://hawaiianfoodrecipe.typepad.com/blog/

If you’re picturing yourself on a white sand island with beautiful, azure waters, then you must be thinking of Maui.  Hawaiian drinks are fruity, tropical, and well, classically Hawaiian.

Here’s a list of our favorite tropical drinks that are either inspired by the Islands or found at your favorite Hawaiian bar and restaurant!

Blue Hawaii

Most of know the classic drink, Blue Hawaii, which was created by bartender Harry Yee in 1957, but many of us may not know how to make this signature, Hawaiian drink. It’s quite easy, really: blend equal parts rum and vodka, and a bit less blue curacao. Add pineapple juice and a small amount of sweet and sour. Serve over ice and garnish with pineapple and voila! You’ve just brought a little Hawaiian flare to your next party!

Mai Tai

Perhaps the Mai Tai is the quintessential drink of the Islands, and it is certainly the most popular. Here’s how to make a Mai Tai that will impress your guests at your next poolside party: Combine about one-half ounce of orange Curacao with two ounces orange juice. Add about one-half ounce lime juice and a small amount of simple syrup and orgeat. Add once ounce each of your favorite light and dark rum and serve over ice.

Mimosa Hawaiian

We all love the classic Mimosa, but what about the Mimosa Hawaiian? It’s a classic Mimosa with a decidedly Hawaiian twist. Serve it at your next brunch and surprise your guests with a great Hawaiian drink! Combine 12 ounces each apricot nectar and pineapple juice, then add one can of frozen orange juice and three quarters cup of water. Stir until the orange juice has thawed. Before serving, stir in a bottle of your favorite dry white wine champagne and pour into champagne flutes, along with a garnish of pineapple.

Lava Flow

The Lava Flow drink is all about Hawaii, as it combines two recognizable Hawaiian flavors: coconut and pineapple. Here’s how to make this yummy Hawaiian concoction: Using a blender, combine two ounces of fresh strawberries, one ounce of light rum and one ounce of Malibu rum until well blended; the mixture should be smooth. Pour the mixture into a pitcher. Add one banana, three ounces of coconut cream and three ounces of pineapple juice into the blender and mix until smooth. Slowly add the mixture to the strawberry and rum mixture to resemble flowing lava. Serve to your guests and watch for their impressed expressions!

Chi Chi

Here’s a tasty Hawaiian drink that’s super simple to make for your next luau or dinner party. In a blender, combine two ounces of vodka, five ounces of pineapple juice, one ounce of coconut cream , one teaspoon sugar (the finer the better) and one cup of ice. Blend until you achieve a smooth consistency and pour into tall glasses. Garnish with pineapples and enjoy!