My name is Brandon Mohney, and I have been tending bar at Bar Botanico in Pittsburgh for the past two years. Inspired by our staff’s travels to Puerto Rico and dedicated to all of the friends we’ve made there, I wanted to make a rendition of Coquito in a cocktail, a traditional Puerto Rican festive drink enjoyed around the holidays! My mother is vegan and has always been jealous, unable to enjoy our family’s Eggnog at Christmas. While traditional coquito is made using dairy, I was inspired to create a vegan-friendly recipe so my mother could finally join the festivities! You can also get this cocktail on the menu at Bar Botanico in Pittsburgh as our Feature of the Month through the end of December 2024.
Why Does “The Twelve Days of Christmas” Include Eight Maids-a-Milking?
Let’s be honest. Eight maids-a-milking is one of the weirdest verses in “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” How exactly does this gift work? Do you receive the milk the maids make? Are the maids themselves the gift somehow? (Don’t read into that one too hard). There’s very little rhyme or reason to why this is in the song, other than milk being a symbol of abundance and many medieval European songs using the image of a maiden to show beauty and innocence. Some Christian scholars have said that the eight maids a-milking represent the eight beatitudes in Catholicism. This coquito cocktail is non-denominationally delicious, however. Grab your Puerto Rican rum and enjoy!
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Eight Maids-a-Milking Coconut Coquito
Description
A vegan coquito for all to enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cans of coconut milk (10-14oz)
- 1 can of unsweetened coconut cream (10-14oz)
- 1 can of sweetened condensed coconut milk (10-14oz)
- 1 pint of coconut water
- 50g fresh ginger
- 3 sticks of cinnamon
- 8 cloves
- 2 star anise pods
- 5 allspice berries
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- a bottle of aged Puerto Rican Rum (I used Bacardi 8-year reserve)
- a bottle of Licor 43
- a bottle of Damiana liqueur
Instructions
- Coarsely chop the ginger, leaving the skin on. In a small pot, add the coconut water, ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and allspice berries. Bring to a boil for two minutes, then reduce heat and let it simmer for another 20 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and then set aside to let cool.
- Next, add coconut milk, unsweetened coconut cream, and sweetened condensed coconut milk to a blender. Gradually increase the speed and blend until homogenous. This will prevent the separation of the coconut cream. When finished pour the coconut mixture into a large mixing bowl.
- In the same mixing bowl add, 250mL of the spice tea, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, 500mL of aged Puerto Rican Rum (or less if you want a less boozy version, but I recommend full strength), 4oz of Licor 43, 4oz of Damiana (if you cannot find Damiana, replace with an additional 4oz of Licor 43)
- Whisk everything together in the mixing bowl. Using a funnel, transfer it into glass bottles for storage. Store in the fridge and let it rest for 24-72 hours before serving as the flavor and texture will improve as it ages.
- Shake well before serving and enjoy it in your favorite holiday mug with a generous amount of fresh grated cinnamon on top!
Check out the rest of our “Twelve Days of Christmas” cocktails or make the whole set!
Recipe by Brandon Mohney of Bar Botanico
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Laura Petrilla
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