A piña colada like you've never seen

Hey, it's Kat, and it's summer entertaining time. Here are some recipes and products to make every meal feel like a holiday [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Hi, [Kat Odell]( here, one of Pursuits’ freelance writers generally devoted to food, and often discussing sushi. You can find me [@kat_odell]( on Instagram. Today though, I don’t have elaborate omakases on my mind (but if you do, feel free to [read this](). Instead I am pondering summer things, which, for me, translates to the Hamptons and outdoor cookery. I came out to East Hampton for Memorial Day, and over the weekend I paid Adam Miller a visit. He owns [Rita Cantina]( with his dad Eric (who is the chef), and this Mexican abode has, unquestionably, the best cocktails in the Hamptons—Diego Rivera, a vet of [Puerto Rico’s only World’s 50 Best bar](, La Factoría, worked with Adam on its drinks program. If you want to take your own trip to the Hamptons, there are still plenty of vacation properties available to rent—and prices have dropped. Photographer: StayMarquis And while I really love the frozen margaritas there (the current guava flavor is great), it’s the Piña Coco Margarita that blew me away. Adam describes it as a cross between a piña colada and a margarita—it’s made with clarified coconut milk, though, so not thick or slushie—and he says that it’s a culmination of his life’s work. To understand why, have you ever tried a clarified milk punch? It’s one of my favorite cocktail styles. Clarifying milk, aka separating the white chunky curds from the translucent liquid whey, and then using that whey in a drink, gives cocktails a unique dense body and silky mouthfeel. Then again if I was at a retro swim-up bar, few things beat a classic frozen piña colada. Source: Sandals But you need dairy to make a milk punch, right? Well, that’s what I thought (and probably everyone else, too). This is the first time I’ve heard of any bartender doing a dairy-free version, but somehow Adam figured out a way to clarify coconut milk. The result of his top-secret method: an incredible low-ABV libation that, frankly, looks just like a glass of iced water. It screams coconut thanks to the addition of coconut water, in addition to a toasted coconut-infused blanco tequila he makes. He also adds pineapple juice, lime juice and that clarified coconut milk. It’s incredible. The Piña Coco Margarita. Would you ever guess there was coconut milk in this? Photographer: Kat Odell And that’s just one example of the Hamptons’ [elevated bar game](, alongside its annual slate of [new dining engagements](. While Rita is one of my favorite Hamptons hangs out east, I actually don’t dine out all that much. OG Hamptons denizens know that the best food is cooked at home using the area’s incredible summer produce plucked from hidden—and not so hidden (ahem, [Balsam Farms]()—farm stands. Over the weekend my husband, [Mike](, who is a chef, made a killer lobster paella. We had a big group over for dinner that night and went for a [surf and turf vibe serving this wagyu as well](. This… is a lobster roll that Maison Close in Montauk is serving. Source: Maison Close I’ve waxed poetic about [my love for the Gozney pizza oven before](, and I’ll continue to sing its praise. While we do cook pies in under 60 seconds in that 1000°F inferno, it’s also incredible for myriad other preps, including that paella, fire-roasted strawberries (over [Carissa’s]( vanilla bean ice cream) and my new obsession: homemade pita. Fresh pita is so incredibly easy to make and very rewarding (who doesn’t love warm bread straight from the oven?). I’ve been trying out different pita recipes over the last year and [here’s one]( I particularly like. Have yourself a cocktail while waiting for the dough to proof, then 6 seconds in the oven and DONE. Don’t have a pizza oven? You can make this pita in your home kitchen. All you need to do it get a skillet super hot. Photographer: Kat Odell For a memorable Middle Eastern-style dinner, we filled the freshly puffed pitas with sausages from East Hampton’s [Villa Italian Specialties]( (a local gem), creamy tzatziki, and also added a bit of New York Shuk’s [harissa BBQ sauce]( and [preserved lemon BBQ sauce](. These vibrantly-flavored slathers are absolutely delicious—and this is coming from someone who doesn’t like barbecues sauce in general. Grilling? Don’t forget your luxury charcoal! Photographer: Naila Ruechel for Bloomberg Businessweek Beyond the Gozney, we’ve been very into our Japanese binchotan grill, mainly for [yakitori](. Fueled by white oak charcoal ([binchotan](), it gets way hotter than regular charcoal and emits a distinct sweet, smoky flavor and aroma to cooked ingredients that’s unique to Japanese cuisine. And unlike many other home grills, it’s small (and portable) and not especially expensive! Here’s [one I’d suggest](. (Pro tip: The next time you’re in New York, the best place to experience binchotan-fueled cookery is at chicken specialist [Kono](. The team recently added an adjacent [high-end whisky bar]( and record room that’s very cool. Do what you must to get a reservation.) What else should you cook this summer? Here are some recipes I love. [Fettuccine With Walnuts, Zucchini Ribbons and Pecorino Romano]( This is one from the vault (check the date!). My first job out of college was at Bon Appétit magazine, and for two-plus years I tried every recipe we published. I still make this summertime pasta recipe that’s like a deconstructed pesto [Caesar Potato Salad With Sugar Snap Peas]( Another one from the vault. The one food I detest is mayo, and it’s almost always incorporated into potato salads. This swaps in a lemon and mustard vinaigrette for a lighter, zingy version [Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes]( Who doesn’t love pancakes? Here’s a light and airy version that calls for whipped egg whites along with ricotta cheese; the latter ensures the pancakes are super moist [Strawberry Spoon Cake]( I’ve been making this SUPER simple strawberry cake for years. It’s beloved by every person that’s tried it. I like to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. [Soy-Ginger Flank Steak]( Mike and I cook almost exclusively Asian cuisine at home. This soy and ginger marinade is delicious on steak, but really could be used on many other proteins, including chicken. Something to listen to while cooking. What is Adidas without Yeezy? It’s making a lot less money for starters. On Bloomberg’s [The Big Take podcast](: how Adidas’ split from Ye unfolded, and where the company goes from here. Listen on [Apple]( and [Spotify](. Got some summer travel coming up? Alas, I will be bound to New York state this summer; [traveling with a seven-month-old baby]( is too dauting for me. So I’ll have to live vicariously through all my friends’ travels. For those not bound to their home state, here’s some eating and drinking intel from around the world. [Rome Bakeries: Sign me up for anything cream puff…]( [Hong Kong and Macau Restaurants: The food there is utterly outstanding and doesn’t get the attention it deserves]( [Portland, Maine Restaurants: This city has been on my dining list for the last few years, and in particular I can’t wait to try Twelve]( [Bangkok Fine Dining: I love this city. And am delighted that my friend Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn of Le Du is now No. 1]( [Edinburgh Bars: Cocktail culture has come a long way here. Spiced tomato with a Guinness foam? I am in]( What else is on my radar. I am constantly trying out new food products, so let me share some of my latest favorites. A chic canned cocktail: I absolutely adore Current Cassis–the blackcurrant-flavored liqueur that’s made from Upstate, New York-sourced fruit. The team recently came out with a [new canned spritz version]( that I can’t stop drinking. Chemical-free wine: I am part of the team behind a new natural site [The Waves](; it’s like [goop]( but for wine, with a mix of shopping and editorial. My good friend Billy Smith—previously of, let’s be honest, the best wine bar in this entire country, Four Horsemen—picked most of the wines (he’s known for crazy bottle allocations and rare back vintages), and I am heading up the editorial content. The wines are truly incredible (and very hard to find), all made from organically-farmed grapes with zero chemical additives. Wellness-supporting baby food: I am a new mother. My daughter Gemma recently started to eat food. Which is exciting! While Mike often cooks for her, it’s nice to also have low-lift meals that are ready in a pinch. I recently came across a brand that I now LOVE called [Little Spoon]( that sells frozen meals. You can pick from organic fruit purées, in addition to blends that incorporate superfoods like spirulina and hemp seeds. Novelty beer: It might sound strange but this new spicy pickle-flavored beer, a collab between pickle-maker [SuckerPunch Gourmet]( and [Destihl Brewery](, is kind of amazing and tastes exactly like a dill pickle. While it’s a bit strong to sip on its own, it makes a mean Michelada. It’s weird, but it works. Source: Destihl Brewer Addictive snacks: New Indian snack line [Doosra]( offers a signature mix of spicy and tangy chickpea puffs tossed in a seasoning with green mango powder, Kashmiri chili, cumin and more. There’s also little bits of caramelized white chocolate and toasted peanuts; it’s one of the best snacky things I’ve tried in a while. Luxury linens: In the spirit of summer vibes and outdoor cookery, pretty cloth napkins are a simple and elegant way to upgrade a classic picnic table. Madre Linen, a textile company based in Los Angeles, has [updated the classic gingham pattern]( using bright summery hues and buttery soft linen. Have a question? In the spirit of summer, we’re taking this week off from our usual Q&A column. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t listening—and answering—your questions in articles, on social media, and this very here newsletter. E-mail [AskPursuits@bloomberg.net](mailto:askpursuits@bloomberg.net?subject=I%20have%20a%20question) with any lifestyle questions on any topic that you might have. New for subscribers: Free article gifting. Bloomberg.com subscribers can now gift up to five free articles a month to anyone you want. Just look for the "Gift this article" button on stories. (Not a subscriber? Unlock limited access and [sign up here](.) Follow Us Like getting this newsletter? [Subscribe to Bloomberg.com]( for unlimited access to trusted, data-driven journalism and subscriber-only insights. Want to sponsor this newsletter? [Get in touch here](. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Bloomberg Pursuits newsletter. If a friend forwarded you this message, [sign up here]( to get it in your inbox. [Unsubscribe]( [Bloomberg.com]( [Contact Us]( Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022 [Ads Powered By Liveintent]( [Ad Choices](