By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Along with a bottle of Vincent Van Gogh Pineapple Vodka, I recently came across a recipe for a drink called the Hawaiian Cosmo. The pineapple flavor of the vodka, introduced this year, is said to evoke Hawaii. Thus the name of this variant on the classic cosmopolitan.

The recipe was simple: One part pineapple vodka , one part Cointreau orange liqueur and one part cranberry juice.

But I didn't like the sour taste. I suspected my cranberry juice was to blame, so I returned to the grocery for a different brand. Instead, a bottle of Hawaiian Punch caught my eye.

Eureka!

The seven key components of Hawaiian Punch's Fruit Juicy Red - pineapple, apple, pear, passion fruit, orange, papaya and guava - proved the perfect mixer.

The resulting pink drink was delicious - with the juices complementing the flavor of the 70-proof Van Gogh Pineapple Vodka ($30).

If you like cocktails on the sweeter side, use two parts Hawaiian Punch. The color will be red rather than pink, but - either way - this tropical concoction, I think, is a taste of paradise.

Hawaiian Cosmo

1 ounce Van Gogh Pineapple Vodka

1 ounce Cointreau

1 to 2 ounces Hawaiian Punch

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with slice of pineapple or orange. Makes 1 drink.

E-mail sips@enquirer.com