FOOD TREND: The 'Official Cocktail'

FOOD TREND: The “Official Cocktail”

June 22, 2012 at 7:37 am · Filed under Cocktails & Spirits

“Official cocktails” are not news. Countries have often had them, to showcase their products. The official cocktail of Peru is the Pisco Sour, highlighting the country’s white spirit, pisco. The official cocktail of Brazil is the Caipirinha, made with cachaça. The Mojito is the national drink of Cuba, where there’s plenty of run with which to make it.

But “official cocktail” could become a closer-to-home trend.

The Sazerac, a combination of cognac or rye whiskey, absinthe, and bitters, is the official cocktail of New Orleans.

The Fire & Ice Boom from Buffalo combines vodka, triple sec, hot sauce, lemon juice and Sprite.

The Mint Julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.

The Black Eyed Susan is the official cocktail of the Preakness—a combination of vodka, Kentucky whiskey, orange juice, and sour mix. And the triple crown of cocktails concludes with the Belmont Jewel: Bourbon, lemonade, and pomegranate juice.

The Bacardi Mojito is the official cocktail of Miami.

And on the west coast of Florida, Naples has selected the Coquito Mojito as its official cocktail.

The Coquito Mojito was chosen among six cocktails created by a mixologist who was retained by a group of Naples restaurateurs, called the Naples Originals, seeking an official cocktail.

The Coquito is an eggnog-like beverage, a traditional holiday drink in Puerto Rico. It is made with coconut cream, coconut milk, egg yolks, rum, sweet condensed milk, and holiday spices: cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg (photo #2).

The Mojito is a Cuban highball of white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint.

The Coquito Mojito combines the two concepts, taking the basic Mojito recipe (rum, mint, lime juice, sugar, and club soda) enhanced with coconut-flavored rum and cream of coconut, omitting the sugar.

> National Cocktail Day is March 24th.

> National Mojito Day is July 11th.

> National Coquito Day is December 21st.

RECIPE: COQUITO MOJITO

Ingredients Per Drink

.75 ounces rum

.75 ounces coconut flavored rum

.75 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice

.75 ounces Coco Lopez Coconut Cream

Splash of club soda

3 sprigs fresh mint, plus one for garnish

Ice cubes

Optional garnish: lime wheel

Utensils

Cocktail shaker

Muddler

Cocktail strainer

1] The Coquito Mojito won a contest to become the official cocktail of Naples, Florida. Photo courtesy Naples Originals.

Coquito Egg Nog Recipe
[2] A classic Coquito is a variation of coconut egg nog. Here’s a recipe (photo © Koloa Rum).

Preparation

1. In the cocktail shaker, lightly muddle the mint in the coconut cream. Add lime juice, rum, and coconut flavored rum.

2. Fill with ice to the top, cap the shaker and give it a long, hard shake. Pour through a strainer into a glass over ice.

3. Add a splash of club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig, lime wheel, and coconut flakes.

If you’d like an official cocktail for your town, approach the Chamber Of Commerce and volunteer to be on the committee. You could find yourself with some new, civic-minded drinking buddies.

Find more of our favorite cocktail using the Food Categories pull-down menu on the upper right of this page.

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