The Coquito

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Mixology

The Coquito

The word Coquito means little coconut, and is a traditional holiday cocktail that originated in Puerto Rico but is made in the Caribbean as well as parts of South America. It is made with coconut milk, sweetened condensed cream, coconut cream, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and of course RUM . It is often served as an after dinner drink, because of its sweet, dessert like nature.

The Coquito has a rich tradition in Puerto Rico, and is an important part of the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. Cherished recipes are unique to each family and those recipes are proudly handed down generation to generation. In Cuba the Coquito is served with scoops of coconut ice cream, and in the Caribbean it is made with coconut juice, which makes for a much lighter drink. The Spanish version is served with turrón, a confectionery dessert much like nougat, and made with honey and almonds.

My first experience with the Coquito was this past Christmas, when my friend and chef David Garay brought it to work. I was so intrigued by not only the deliciousness of the drink but the rich history and tradition, so we sat down and chat ted about it.

“To me coquito means more than just a holiday drink- - it’s something we made together and was like a tradition for the one with the recipe to make and pass it down to the next one to make it for the family. Only one person in our family makes the coquito and then gives it or sells it to the rest of the family. To me it’s one of the best gifts my grandmother could have ever given me and I will uphold the tradition and pass it down to my kids.“

The origins of the Coquito are hard to come by but we do know of course about the strong history in Puerto Rico regarding rum. Sugar has been grown in small quantities in Puerto Rico since the 16th century and Puerto Rico is home to some of the world’s most famous rum distilleries. Coconuts are quite abundant in Puerto Rico, also, and used not only in cocktails but in culinary recipes.

The Coquito Masters is a competition held every year in New York, and is not a small local drink competition either…. it is a huge production, and has been going on since 2001. Debbie Quinones started it by inviting people over to her home to bring their best recipe and it spiraled into such a big event that it now has hundreds of people involved, qualifying rounds, seminars and workshops, and many versions of the traditional drink. This is not your average nerdy bartender cocktail competition either- - -these are family recipes and people who are very passionate about theirs’ being the best. Quinones founded the International Coquito Federation and says that the coquito “represents a core, cultural sense of home. You don’t have to be on the island but it’s a taste of the island.”

You can search the web and find a whole slew of Coquito recipes, but Chef Garay was kind enough to share with us his grandmother ’s recipe. This is very easy to make and although it is only enjoyed in Puerto Rico during the holidays, I think it is a recipe you could enjoy all year long. Keep in mind that in the world of mixology you can bend the rules, so use this as your base recipe and get creative from there. I think I am going to add chocolate and cloves to mine.

Ingredients:

1 can of Condensed Milk

2 cans of Evaporated Milk

2 cans of Coco Lopez

1 750 ml bottle of Dark Puerto Rican Rum

2 pinches of Nutmeg

3 Cinnamon Sticks

Directions:

Mix all ingredients well and bottle.

Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Serve neat or over ice with a cinnamon stick

as the garnish.

-Article written by Cris Dehlavi- 

My name is Cris Dehlavi and I am a native of Arizona, but have lived in Columbus, Ohio for the past 13 years with my daughter, Desi. I have been running the bar program at “M”, of the Cameron Mitchell Restaurant group since 2005. I am currently the President of Columbus USBG as well as a consultant for bars and restaurants nationally. In 2013, I attended the rigorous B.A.R. 5 Day Spirits Certification and have been recognized as one of the top mixologists in the U.S.A. I am one of the senior managers of the prestigious apprentice program at Tales of the Cocktail and work as a mentor to many bartenders around Ohio.

My contribution to Got Rum? magazine will include everything from reviews of national cocktail events, articles on mixology, garnish trends, recipes and techniques, to interviews with some of the leading bartenders in the industry.