[1] Coquito in a shot glass (photos #1, #2, and #3 © Don Q Rum).

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[2] Coquito for those who want more.

[3] Not just any spiced rum: Don Q is barrel-aged for three years.

[4] (photos #4 and #5 © C&H Sugar).

December 21st marks the first year of National Coquito Day. (Check out all of the coconut holidays, below).

The day was established by Don Q Rum.

It’s also the first day of winter: You owe yourself a wintery drink.

Coquito, “little coconut” in Spanish, is Puerto Rico’s version of eggnog, a Christmas and New Year’s Eve drink. But it can be served any time of the year.

Lighter than eggnog but still very creamy, with coconut flavor, Coquito is made with coconut cream, coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk and rum, and seasoned with cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.

Unlike traditional American eggnog, an authentic Coquito typically does not contain eggs, though some variations exist that do.

Coquito is often served in shot glasses as an after dinner drink; or fill the pitcher or punch bowl for a party.

Think of it as Tres Leches Cake in a glass; and if you’ve got a sweet tooth, serve it with Tres Leches Cake.

This recipe, from Supercall, makes a pitcherful for a party.

The recipe follows, along with the history of the Coquito.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The history of rum.

> The different types of rum.

> The year’s 15 rum holidays.

> The year’s 49 cocktail and spirits holidays.

> The year’s 11 coconut holidays are below.

> The history of evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk.

> The history of coconuts.

> The history of Coco Lopez.
 
 
RECIPE: COQUITOS FOR CHRISTMAS

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients except the garnish spices in a blender. Blend on high until the mixture is well combined, about one or two minutes.

2. POUR the Coquito into a pitcher and refrigerate to chill. Before serving…

3. STIR well to combine. Pour into punch cups or small wine glasses and garnish with fresh ground cinnamon and/or nutmeg.
 
 
COQUITO VARIATIONS

 
 
THE HISTORY OF COQUITO

No one knows the origin of Coquito, but one intrepid writer, Suset Laboy, decided to do some sleuthing.

The two common suggestions are that Coquito was a derivation of Ponche Navideño, a Spanish Christmas punch, or American eggnog.

The actuality may be more native-to-Puerto-Rico than that. Laboy set out to trace its history, starting with Coquito’s main ingredients: sugar, coconut milk and rum, all plentiful in Puerto Rico.

 
While other islands made rum as well, Puerto Rico’s rum industry did not fully emerge until the 19th century, when sugarcane production began on a large scale. So our baseline is the 19th century.

A spirit mixed with sugar creates a basic cocktail. With the island’s supply of coconut milk and evaporated milk, it’s not a leap to see someone enhancing the cocktail with it, and making a luscious creamy cocktail in the process.

Until someone finds a smoking gun (a dated old family recipe), that’s what we know!
 
 
THE YEAR’S 11 COCONUT HOLIDAYS

 
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*Lamington is one of Australia’s favorite desserts, also enjoyed at breakfast. Sponge cake is covered with chocolate sauce and coconut shavings or desiccated coconut. It can be prepared as a single layer cut into squares, or as a layer cake filled with jam or whipped cream. Here’s a recipe.

†Ambrosia is a retro fruit salad that can be served as a side dish or a dessert. Recipes vary widely, but often include bananas, coconut, mandarin orange segments, maraschino cherries, nuts, and pineapple, bound with whipped cream (or Cool Whip, sour cream, or yogurt). Mini marshmallows are often added for the kids. Here’s a recipe.
 

[5] Mix up a batch and bring some to a gathering.
 
 

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