COQUITO: PUERTO RICAN COCKTAIL "My family enjoys this drink every holiday season-- from Christmas to New Year's. It's tradition, so we don't do any festivities without it. And it's better than any eggnog!" -- Jessica Martinez, Human Resources & Corporate Operations Manager,
Ingredients: 2 egg yolks, beaten; 1 (12 fl. oz.) can evaporated milk; 1 (14 oz.) can cream of coconut; 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk; 1/2 cup white rum; 1/2 cup water; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 tspn. ground cinnamon; 1 tspn vanilla extract
Instructions: 1.) In the top of a double boiler, combine egg yolks and evaporated milk. (If you don't have a double boiler, you can simply use a heat-safe bowl over a regular pot); Stirring constantly, cook over lightly simmering water (in pot) until mixture reaches a temperature of 160 degrees. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. 2.) Transfer mixture to a blender, and add cream of coconut, sweetened condensed milk, rum, water, cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla. extract. Blend for about 30 seconds. Pour into glass bottles, and chill overnight. When serving, sprinkle cinnamon on top or add stick for festive flavor.
Janell Hazelwood is associate managing editor at Black Enterprise, managing content across core areas of Money, Career, Small Business and Technology. She is also a featured blogger with My Two Cents, providing insights on branding, millennial career development, employment trends and leadership. She was previously a content producer and copy editor for Black Enterprise magazine, working across several editorial sections. The Hampton University graduate got her start in the newspaper industry, having worked for companies including The New York Times and Scripps Howard News Service. Her works and insights have appeared on The Huffington Post, MadameNoire, E!Online, Brazen Careerist, CBS News, and Arise TV.