My roommates and I recently invited all of our parents to our house for a tailgate. To master "adulting," and to acquire mass amounts of food, we decided to throw the most mature get-together we could think of: a potluck! We encouraged all of the parents to contribute to our lovely adult excursion, so, naturally, my parents brought the drinks. By drinks, I mean blue curaçao. 

Let me tell you, this beverage was the talk of the town. Its tropical vibes simply transformed the potluck. Were we in my living room or a Caribbean nightclub? The fruity taste was unique yet comfortable as if the liquor wasn't as foreign as it sounded. We were almost late to the game because we were on "island time." While it was delicious, none of us really had heard of it before or knew what it could be used for.

So what exactly is blue curaçao?

I'm glad you asked. Blue Curaçao is an orange citrus flavored liquor from islands in the Caribbean. While curaçao comes in many colors, it is most popular for its electric blue, seen in popular drinks around the globe! People in the US started sipping in the 1960s when a new popular drink was born from Elvis's hit movie Blue Hawaii. Order a "Blue Hawaiian" the next time you're at a bar and look like the '60s queen you've always wanted to be!

Despite this beautiful history, Blue Curaçao gathers dust on the shelf of many a liquor store because people are intimidated by the color and spelling of the drink (pronounced "cur-uh-sow").

How can I introduce this mysterious elixir into my home?

If your friends are anything like mine, they know what they like and they stick to their guns. Be the change you want to see in the world and make a delicious cocktail for your next pregame that looks and feels like a tropical sunrise without dropping $16 at the bar.

There are endless opportunities to make these stand-out drinks, from simple cocktail recipes for delicious mixies to glorious aesthetic shots (because looking good is 99% of the shot game) that require minimal prep-time and ingredients. Trust me, if you build it they will come. Make some fancy drinks and let your friends bask in your bartending abilities. 

Still got the booze ~blues~?

To incorporate Blue Curaçao into your life, try one of these!

1. Make drinks coordinate with your school colors at your next tailgate! For Michigan, my mom made blue lagoons and margaritas.

2. Another school spirit one: throw a "go blue" party or pregame. If people aren't naturally enticed by the wonders of Blue Curiçao, entice them with Blue Hawaiian jello shots

3. Throw a St. Patricks day party and mix Blue Curiçao with a yellow drink to create a beautiful green production of all the things right in the world. 

4. Get ahead on the trends of the time by accepting that blue drinks are "in".

If you're still not inspired, pick up Blue Curaçao on your next liquor run and let the refreshing hints of citrus wash you ashore.