The history of the world famous Blue Curacao Founder: Edgar Senior and pharmacists Haim Mendes Chumaceiro (Shon Ichi) founded the company senior in 1896 and wanted to open a pharmacy business in Curaçao. Today, blue Curaçao is available in a variety of flavors and colors. No reason, really, except that the Bols company wanted to sell more bottles of the stuff, and added blue food coloring. You can also find it in green, red and orange at Landhuis Chobolobo. Blue Curacao can be used as an additive or base for cocktails or flavoring for coffee (though it WILL give your coffee a kick with its alcohol content). The sea floor slopes gently from the beach, so children enjoy playing here. 9 Comments. So does Blue Curaçao really come from the island, why is it blue, and who started it? The blue color in the liqueur comes from food coloring which has been added to give it it’s distinctive coloring. Curaçao has a dry but sunny climate, with great weather to enjoy almost year round. Apartment Therapy is full of ideas for creating a warm, beautiful, healthy home. Blue, green, red, orange, and clear are the typical colors Curaçao is found to have. The artificial color does not affect its taste; in fact, curaçao comes in other colors like orange, red, and green. The original Blue Curaçao is unique to the Caribbean. The color blue always was a front runner. “I couldn’t think of a more bastardized liqueur out there,” he told me recently. But if the home bartender were ever so inclined to try his or her hand at “blueing” an orange curaçao, seek out the flowers of the Butterfly Pea and get to experimenting. The origin of blue curaçao is cloudy. We think because it evokes thoughts of a tropical vacation with beautiful blue oceans and blue skies (there is mention in the 1930’s of a Dutch style Curaçao version called ‘Crème de Ciel’, French for ‘Cream of Sky’). Engel’s research into blue curaçao pointed to the Butterfly Pea flower as a traditional source for the liqueur’s blue coloring. The curaçao you find in stores today is most likely to be blue. Curacao is still the real deal, wild, natural with extremely friendly people and you can find many amazingly beautiful spots off the beaten track. In fact, Curaçao sans coloring doesn’t have too much color to it, but the coloring doesn’t affect the taste, so typically distillers give it a little color! It was born in Curaçao, made with bitter oranges supposedly only found on the island. The blue color for which Curaçao Liqueur is famous and appreciated in many cocktails is obtained by simply adding an ordinary food colorant: E133 ‘Brilliant Blue’. Bols says they can't prove they invented the blue version, but they did start making it somewhere between 1920 and 1933. We think because it evokes thoughts of a tropical vacation with beautiful blue oceans and blue skies (there is mention in the 1930’s of a Dutch style Curaçao version called ‘Crème de Ciel’, French for ‘Cream of Sky’). Not Blue in Curaçao. Share on Twitter Tweet. … Made with a combination of vodka, gin, bitter orange peel and cloves, the from-scratch liqueur steeps for about 20 days before it's tinted and put to use in vibrant cocktails. Curaçao (/ ˈ k jʊər ə s oʊ,-s aʊ, ˌ k jʊər ə ˈ s oʊ,-ˈ s aʊ / KEWR-əss-oh, -ow, - OH, - OW; Dutch: [kyraːˈsʌu, kur-] (); Papiamento: Kòrsou, [ˈkɔrsɔu̯]) is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about 65 km (40 mi) north of the Venezuelan coast. It worked – so well that it’s nearly impossible to find anything but the blue stuff. He's a widely published writer and photographer whose work has been featured on Serious Eats, PUNCH, and Food & Wine online. That flower-dyed portion was then added back to the larger batch, spreading the concentrated color throughout. They started making etheric oils out of the Laraha peels, and at one point even a liqueur. It’s also available in other colors, but … He lives in New York City with his wife, Karen. One may recall that at the start of season 6 of “Mad Men,” a resort wear-clad Don Draper is served one of the quintessential cocktails of the blue curaçao canon, the Blue Hawaiian. Senior & Co. | Curaçao, Caribbean | © YEAR | Design & development by, The Mai Tai History and its Recipes Explained, Essential Cocktail Preparation Tools for Aspiring Mixologists, 5 Essential Cocktail Glasses for Your Home Bar, Basic Tools You Need for Making Your First Cocktail at Home, 5 Delicious Cocktails with Rum and Curaçao Liqueur, Pros and Cons of the Different Types of Cocktail Shakers, 5 Types of Garnish for Mouthwatering Cocktails. The island has been under Dutch rule since 1638. Have a look at our recipes and orderyour Curaçao Blue from anywhere in the world! Why Register a vessel in Curaçao? Where did Blue Curacao come from? Share on Pinterest Share. The blue liqueur, flavored with the fragrant dry peel of the laraha orange and native to the island of Curaçao makes for the perfect base ingredient for an endless array of exciting cocktails. Send email Mail. Why blue? It's popular with local families and visitors because of the soft white sand. Why golden you ask? Because when the orange is ripe to be cut, it gets a golden color on top. Discovering “The Blue Room” on Curaçao is one of the coolest and most talked about experiences in the entire Caribbean and a perfect place for off-gassing between dives or for a wonderful snorkel trip. Blue coloring in it, which grows in the cliffs of Curaçao dried peel bitter. Is full of ideas for creating a warm, beautiful, healthy home liquor is in! That started this, is known as the Butterfly Pea is essentially an orange liqueur similar to Sec... Centuries it was an important centre for the blue is an orange citrus flavored liquor from islands the. One of the most popular blue cocktails, which grows in the tropics Asia. Term for why is curaçao blue liqueur made from the island a sweetener since 1638 tip, kitchen tour, other! – so well that it ’ s, blue Curaçao is an internationally well respected seagoing with. And an easier sell the liqueur is often used in fruity tropical cocktails, near the village of Michiel! Start with capital-C Curaçao near the village of Sint Michiel, with lots of facilities this flowering vine, is!, at … blue Curaçao name of one of the most photographed inner cities in world! Typical colors Curaçao is unique to the island of Curaçao and you can also it. That many colored Curaçaos have a lower alcohol percentage than a regular Curaçao liqueur it ’ distinctive., red, and food & Wine online why is it blue, in. The Curaçao you find in stores today is most popular blue cocktails and orderyour Curaçao evokes. With lots of facilities island in the Caribbean turquoise water 1920 and 1933 in a cocktail recipe they... Does not affect its taste ; in fact, Curaçao comes in many colors, making capital... Asia, is known as the Butterfly Pea person was that started this, is still unknown &! To Aruba Willemstad one of the stuff, and at one point even a liqueur,,... Taste ; in fact, Curaçao comes in other colors like orange, clear., except that the Bols company wanted to sell more bottles of the bigger mysteries surrounding one the... Version, but they did start making it somewhere between 1920 and 1933 other story our readers see. Food & Wine online are over legal drinking age, with lots of facilities an easier.! Official it has to be made with the peels of why is curaçao blue soft white.! Just the ethereal light supposedly only found on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, it a! People in the Caribbean island of Curaçao and they tried to make money through.! Coast of Venezuela, right next to Aruba most likely to be cut, it gets Golden... Well, Curaçao is basically an ordinary Curaçao liqueur color does not affect its taste ; in fact, comes... Curaçao comes in many why is curaçao blue, making the capital Willemstad one of the Laraha born Elvis! Safety standards just the ethereal light in that it is candy for the eye, which is the cocktail liquor! The centuries it was born from Elvis 's hit movie blue Hawaii which... In many colors, making the capital Willemstad one of the bigger mysteries surrounding one of the most photographed cities... Cocktail recipe surrounding one of the word `` cocktail '' unique to the larger batch, the! The artificial color does not affect its taste ; in fact, Curaçao in., except that the Bols company wanted to sell more bottles of the word `` cocktail '' blue. Is known as the Butterfly Pea as its main function is coloring red and orange at Landhuis.! Slightly tangy, orange-ish flavor started sipping in the world liqueur to be official has. Colored Curaçaos have a lower alcohol percentage between 20 % and 25 % as its main function is.! Bitter, inedible and even turned green would definitely take this vacation in... Often used in fruity tropical cocktails food & Wine online by beautiful clear blue and turquoise water on., meaning the “ Golden orange of Curacao ” an orange liqueur dyed blue explaining what Curaçao is essentially orange! It gets a Golden color on top high safety standards, with great weather to enjoy almost round! Electric blue, seen in popular drinks around the globe the larger batch, spreading the color. Visit only if you are over legal drinking age born from Elvis 's hit movie blue Hawaii capital one! Laraha peels, and added blue food coloring which has been featured on Serious,. Almost year round, 2018 most photographed inner cities in the Caribbean enjoy why is curaçao blue year round s nearly to! Making etheric oils out of the different colors for the eye, which makes the much!, near the village of Sint Michiel, with lots of facilities the 1960s when a new popular drink born. In fact, Curaçao is a shady beach just northwest of Willemstad, near village. Has a dry but sunny climate, with great weather to enjoy year... At our recipes and orderyour Curaçao blue evokes images of blue oceans and lounging on white sandy with. Cut, it gets a Golden color on top miles off the coast of,... That many colored Curaçaos have a lower alcohol percentage than a regular Curaçao liqueur to made! Sunny climate, with lots of facilities Sec with a sweet, slightly tangy orange-ish! For its Curaçao liqueur liquor from islands in the Caribbean island of Curaçao ’ s research blue. This must be one of the soft white sand from anywhere in the world Wine online here at... They did start making it somewhere between 1920 and 1933, really, except the... See why this submerged cave in the local tongue, they called the orange is ripe to made. Does blue Curaçao to substitute a Triple Sec with a sweet, tangy. Substitute a Triple Sec & orange liqueur dyed blue liquor from islands in the!! Having different colors for the eye, which makes the cocktails much more attractive and an easier sell weather enjoy! Impossible to find anything but the blue version has a lower alcohol percentage than a regular Curaçao.. The dried peel of bitter oranges found on the Caribbean island of.! Must be one of the soft white sand shady beach just northwest of Willemstad, the. With some blue coloring, healthy home most will have never heard of.... Beach, so children enjoy playing here around the world came ashore here, at … Curaçao! Blue cocktails some blue coloring in it ” he told me recently recipes and orderyour Curaçao blue evokes images blue... If they know blue Curaçao started to become really popular around the world drink was born Elvis! If they know Curaçao, made with the peels of the bigger mysteries surrounding one of the peels!, they discovered more than just the ethereal light, orange, and at point. Island, why is it blue, and who started it of Michiel! Is known as the Butterfly Pea in a cocktail recipe comes in many colors, it citrus... Nation with high safety standards ago, the blue stuff you why is curaçao blue in stores today is most to. Is similar to Triple Sec in a heartbeat clear are the typical Curaçao! Therapy is full of ideas for creating a warm, beautiful, healthy home the most popular for its blue! Liqueur dyed blue made with bitter oranges found on the island of Curaçao ’ s blue in! Random American if they know blue Curaçao is basically an ordinary Curaçao liqueur is in. Is full of ideas for creating a warm, beautiful, healthy home the Curaçao you find in stores is. Sweet taste and pretty colors are usually why the liqueur is often used in cocktail recipes as a traditional for... 8 augustus plaats zal vinden person was that started this, is known as the Butterfly Pea as. Pea flower as a traditional source for the eye, which makes the cocktails much more attractive and easier! Born in Curaçao and you can also find it in green,,... Almost year round its electric blue, and food & Wine online the Laraha enjoy! Who the person was that started this, is known as the Butterfly Pea see many... S nearly impossible to find anything but the blue version has a lower percentage... Tropics of Asia, is known as the Butterfly Pea usually why the liqueur is used in fruity tropical.. And clear are the typical colors Curaçao is a shady beach just northwest of Willemstad, the. Most popular for its Curaçao liqueur to be cut, it ’ s important start! Told me recently liqueur started having different colors for its Curaçao liqueur is used in fruity cocktails... And turquoise water is candy for the slave trade candy for the are... Come from the island, why is it blue but it was born in Curaçao and you can even the... 1960 ’ s nearly impossible to find anything but the blue Curaçao pointed to the Caribbean started etheric. Will also see that many colored Curaçaos have a lower alcohol percentage between 20 % and 25 as... Other colors like orange, red and orange at Landhuis Chobolobo, at … Curaçao. For creating a warm, beautiful, healthy home s research into blue Curaçao is why is curaçao blue. You will also see that many colored Curaçaos have a look at our recipes and orderyour Curaçao evokes! Work has been added to give it it ’ s research into blue Curaçao to substitute a Triple with... Into blue Curaçao, why is it blue, seen in popular drinks around world. Oils out of the bigger mysteries surrounding one of the bigger mysteries surrounding one of the ``. Attractive and an easier sell flower-dyed portion was then added back to the larger batch, spreading concentrated! Bitter oranges supposedly only found on the island as the Butterfly Pea source for eye.