Eat Like a Local Holiday Edition: Coquito

An ice cold glass of coquito on St. Croix is an immediate indicator that Christmas is on the horizon on St. Croix. You can’t celebrate Christmas in St. Croix without indulging in several glasses (or bottles) of this holiday beverage. Originating from neighboring island Puerto Rico, this coconut based alcoholic drink is often described as Puerto Rican eggnog. Since 1917, a number of Puerto Rican descendants migrated to the US Virgin Islands. This makes Puerto Ricans the largest number of migrants to the territory. We’ve been blessed with a rare cultural link between the islands that brought about a number of shared traditions like enjoying coquito on St. Croix during the festive holiday season!

SEE ALSO: #FoodieFriday – Armstrong’s Homemade Ice Cream

The Love for Coquito on St. Croix Runs Deep

If we love something on St. Croix, we create a festival for it and it’s no different with coquito. We have an annual festival dedicated to this holiday drink. Now in its 15^th year in 2024, Coquito Festival features a number of participants who compete to have their coquito named the best and retain bragging rights for a year! It takes place every year at La Reine Chicken Shack complete with live music, a visit by Santa Claus giving gifts and taking pictures with the kids, and of course, countless bottles and samples of this rum spiked beverage available for purchase.

First prize winner receives $500; second and third prize winners receive $300 and $200, respectively and the winner of best bottle presentation get $200. The best part is that there is no fee to enter competition, meaning you literally have nothing to lose! There are also new twists on the original coquito recipe with the addition of flavors such as pistachio, chocolate and espresso that many try their hand at making – even vegan options! The 2024 Coquito Festival takes place on Saturday, December 21st from about 12pm until midnight. Follow La Reine Chicken Shack on Facebook here for all event updates.

Where To Get It

Don’t be too sad if you can’t make it to St. Croix for the holidays. Lucky for you, there are TWO options to get you a taste of coquito this holiday season. The Winter Crucian Foodie Goodie Box features COQUITO BUTTER COOKIES! That’s right – it’s coquito in a cookie and the best thing that could happen to a sweet treat since Moses parted the Red Sea. Purchase your goodie box by clicking here to get these specialty butter cookies and four (4) other yummy holiday Virgin Islands treats delivered directly to your doorstep. Buy one for yourself or gift it to your favorite foodie. Trust me when I say they’ll love you for it. Don’t delay – get your Crucian Foodie Goodie Box here!

How to Make Coquito

The other option is a foolproof recipe you can make in the comfort of your own home. I would much rather you enjoy coquito on St. Croix and get a taste at the festival or from one of the booths at our Crucian Christmas Festival Village (December 26^th to January 4^th); this recipe will have to do for now. See how it’s made in the video below or view the recipe here; give it a try yourself and let me know how it turns out!

Until Next Time,

Q the Cruzan Foodie