Member-only story
Eggnog sucks. Drink Coquito instead. Here’s an easy recipe.
As an Asian kid growing up in California, eggnog wasn’t really a thing for my family, especially not in the Central Valley where temps tend to blaze in the upper 90s until November. However, once I moved to New York City and there were actual seasons, fall and winter took on a whole new meaning. Changing leaves; cold, brisk, damp weather; maple trees; and suddenly, eggnog…except it wasn’t eggnog. It was coquito, the preferred holiday drink of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rican trivia: There are more Puerto Ricans in the tri-state area than there are on the island of Puerto Rico.
Some of the best Caribbean food can be found in New York and New Jersey, but during the Christmas Holidays, coquito is a classic amongst the large Puerto Rican population there. It seems to me that every Puerto Rican family has their own variation, but there are basics that everyone uses. Coconut milk, coconut cream, evaporated milk, and cinnamon are the base components. My recipe pays homage to those traditional ingredients, but I like the versions that include egg yolks for a richer, custard-like result.
