Coquito Season
For a lot of people December is Christmas season, if you are lucky to be part of the Puerto Rican community it’s also COQUITO Season. This coco-nuty, sweet drink traditionally made with Canita (sugar cane alcohol) and also rum, is mixed up and bottled in homes and shared widely from November into January. If you ask around about where to get some, everyone is gonna tell you their recipe is the best in town.
Aida Casanova (left), the winner of numerous coquito contests, and Addys Castillo (right) the star of recent show La Negra: A Bomba Musical - both have a mean coquito game, generations old. They joined us in studio to talk family recipes, PR pride, and the importance of keeping Puerto Rican traditions and culture alive.
Puerto Rican culture is a complex mix of the Taino or Arawak indigenous peoples, Spanish colonizers, Africans brought through slavery, and the more recent American influences through their current status as a territory of the United States. The religious traditions, foods, and music all reflect these various influences. The alcohol in coquito is a result of the Spanish sugar cane industry once based on the enslaved labor of Africans. Puerto Ricans on the island and in the states often relate to this history and these cultures in a wide variety of ways. One thing they all seem to share is an incredible pride in being Puerto Rican.
This year in New Haven, CT four local groups have joined forces for the first annual Three Kings Coquito Masters competition on January 4th. It will be hosted by Puerto Ricans United Inc, Progresso Latino Fund, ARTE Inc, and Junta for Progressive Action. See the flyer below for details and contact letticia.cruz@juntainc.org to register.
Every coquito recipe is a little different. Back in the day the coconut milk was made from fresh coconuts, which is a long and messy process. While there is no doubt that adds a deliciousness unmatched by canned coconut milk, just about everyone these days uses the canned variety. Typically all coquitos are a mix of coconut milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream of coconut, alcohol, cinnamon, and vanilla. Some people swear by particular brands of ingredients to get the flavor just right. Some skip the cream of coconut, some add an egg, others might use a little nutmeg or star anise, or use a special technique in how they blend it all together. The beauty of the drink is the pride people take in making it and celebrating their family recipes.
“The coquito is the drink of drinks during the holiday season…the food is in the kitchen and the coquito is out front and center, it becomes the spirit of the moment, it’s how we celebrate… [and] pay homage to our ancestors.” - Addys Castillo
Click Here for Aida Casanova and Addy’s Coquito recipes
To get a feel for a Puerto Rican parranda - christmas music event, check out this video clip from the 2018 celebration at Bregamos Theater. Traditionally parrandas were traveling musical events, hoping from house to house with song, drink, family, community and celebration.
