The pineapple cooler is a creamy, alcoholic beverage that is rich with pineapple taste (and, of course, rum) and is ideal for a hot summer day. Next, try a tequila sunrise or a salty dog drink.

Guys, it’s summertime. I know the calendar says it isn’t until Thursday the 21st, but Massachusetts has never been one to pay heed to where seasons truly fall.

It was 85 degrees yesterday, and it’s going to be the same today, and I wouldn’t be shocked if it began snowing tomorrow.

Speaking about the weather from yesterday, I ran around like a rabbit in it! Okay, maybe not as much as a rabbit since I had a road to pursue and some kind of life direction.

It was the Spectacle Island 5K, which takes place on a gorgeous Boston Harbor Island and has become an annual event for Bill and myself. Last year I just photographed him since it was his first race (! ), but this year I raced with him.

He’s quicker than me, so he finished ahead of me and got a couple images as I crossed the finish line:

What I’ve discovered is that I am clearly a descendent of the hover cat, and my feet never truly touch the earth. So, why are my feet hurting so much?

My uterus has been a grumpy jerk for the past week, so the fact that I was able to do this at all was a minor miracle. AND I came in 58 seconds short of my personal best.

I’m not sure how it’s possible, since if you look at a photo of Spectacle Island, you’ll see that it’s a collection of hills. And I despise hills. My uterus despises slopes as well.

So, in celebration of my finish and the unofficial start of summer here in the Bay State, today’s dish is bright and sunshine-y, similar to my lemon poppyseed dressing recipe (which, p.s., you guys have fallen in love with and it makes my heart sing).

These pineapple coolers are also stocked with alcohol, which is essential for a decent summer drink. Say what you want about alcohol and dehydration in the summer heat, but it’s a genuine phenomenon.

So instead of guzzling six of them, sip and savor while sitting on your porch, relaxing in the sun. Just like a lizard. If lizards drank alcohol.

There is no need to garnish this with anything. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. But I love adding fruit to my beverages for two reasons: 1) it adds color and makes me feel nice, and 2) it’s food, and I adore eating.

You know those insane milkshakes that come topped with a slice of bacon, a doughnut, and a whole ice cream sandwich?

That is a rather loose use of the phrase garnish. So I don’t generally go overboard with it, but I do like some maraschino cherries. If I didn’t need them for recipes, I’d consume a whole container of them in one sitting if it were socially acceptable.

If you want to be fancy, you can even add a straw. Or if you just like drinking with straws.

Either way.

A few tips for making pineapple coolers

• Before you combine it, try a slice of pineapple to check how sweet it is. This will give you a decent sense of how much sweetener, if any, to add throughout the blending process.
• Speaking of pineapple, save a bit or two aside for garnish (actual garnish, not silly milkshake garnish). I instantly forgot while photographing this recipe, and I shall be sorry till the day I die.
• Use a high-quality blender (affiliate link).This is probably where I should have begun. Because our blender (affiliate link) isn’t very good, we end up with a thicker and more toothsome drink when we prepare it. I’m OK with it since I like it that way, but if you had the Vitamix blender of my dreams, you can make it smooth and creamy.

Aside from recommending that you make them right away, I don’t have much else to say about them.

So just go do that, okay?

Pineapple not your thing?

So, what brings you here?! Just joking, but thanks for sticking with me. If pineapples aren’t your thing, here are some alternative summer treats to try:

• Sangria with strawberries and rhubarbThat is more gorgeous than the majority of attractive persons.
• This festive Red White and Blue Moscato Sangria
• Or one of the other beverages I have on hand! Winners include the Tequila Sunrise, Salty Dog, Watermelon Margaritas, Blood Orange Sangria, Raspberry Ros Sangria, and French 75 Cocktail.