Happy Monday and happy eclipse day friends, if you make it through the day alive, how about celebrating with a yummy sunny colored mocktail. And while is packs a little bit of heat, it’s guaranteed not to damage your eyes. I’m really excited about this latest mocktail recipe. This Pineapple Chile Ancho Cooler has been in the works for a while. I love unusual flavor combinations, and pairing sweet pineapple with smokey ancho chilies really works. My son thinks this drink tastes like a pineapple grilled on the BBQ, which is super yummy and also his description might be spot on.

Like any good mocktail, this drink starts with a delicious simple syrup. And this chile ancho syrup is such a pretty amber color. If you aren’t familiar with chile anchos, they are just dried poblano chilis. They can be found in the Hispanic section of the grocery store.

Pineapple Chile Ancho Cooler

• Pineapple Juice
• Sparkling Mineral Water
• Chile Ancho Simple Syrup
• Pineapple slices, leaves and a little piece of the chile for garnish.

Start by making the Chile Ancho Simple Syrup. In a small pot, add 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, and 2 large chile anchos crumbled into small pieces. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely. Pour through a fine metal sieve to remove the chile ancho pieces.

In a glass filled with ice, add 1 oz. of the Chile Ancho Simple Syrup. Fill the glass half full with pineapple juice and then top with sparkling water. Stir and garnish with a slice of pineapple, leaf and a little piece of the dried chile.

For a cocktail, adult version, I think a little dark rum would pair well with this drink.