A Drink with Dr. Seuss
I meant to post this approximately 7.5 weeks ago when the holiday spirit was still upon us, but, like so many other things, I never got around to it. And it’s probably because I was too busy imbibing the deliciousness of this post’s subject: coquito, otherwise known as Puerto Rican Eggnog, or as I like to call it, Christmas Flavored Milky Goodness That Could Easily Cause The Worlds Most Foul Hangover.
So, lets all close our eyes for a moment, envision some sugar plum fairies and pretend we’re in the midst of Christmas 2009. If you try hard enough, you just might hear the thwap, thwap of Santa’s belly as he runs for his sleigh.
Once upon a time, on a crisp winter’s day, a young woman and babe made tracks towards a farmhouse to cook, chat and play.
On this quaint little farm, lived a quaint little man and his quaint little wife. Parents they were, but they played host for the night. ‘Twas time for coquito, a drink that’s not light.
In the heart of the farm was a brightly-lit kitchen, where a counter held up the drink’s magic fixings. There was oodles of cans and legions of bottles from the makers of Carnation, Bacardi and more.
Huddled up to the stove was a fine man and fine woman, the masters of drinks, brews and libations. They cracked open each egg…
…drained every bottle and flung around cans, each one at full throttle.
Lickety-split, the beverage was made…
Nestled in snow banks to cool and give thanks.
“To cool and give thanks?” Did I just say that bottles were giving thanks? Clearly it’s time not to rhyme because it’s totally lost its novelty.
Here’s what really happened. Last year my dad brought home a creamy spiced drink called coquito that was being sold as a fundraiser for a Latino organization. It was fantastic and had I not been pregnant, I would have guzzled down quarts of it. So this year, he invited over the couple who helped make the fundraiser coquito to assist in making about 20 bottles of the stuff to give as gifts. It was a relatively easy process. So, next year, I strongly recommend whipping up a batch of this stuff to share with friends or to send yourself into a milky drunken stupor. At least you’ll be getting some calcium and learning about a new culture, which should alleviate some of the shame from drinking alone.
It sounds really good:-)