El Museo del Barrio to Host Ninth Annual Coquito Contest (That's Nog to You, Gringo)

Coquito Fest '08.

It's December 1 and, thus, time to start thinking about nog. Maybe you're thinking, "God, I hate nog." Or maybe, "How early is too early to start stocking my fridge with cartons of Silk nog without looking like a psycho?" But if you're Puerto Rican or have spent much time with PRs around the holidays, you're probably more concerned with how soon you can get your lips wrapped around a glass of coquito.

Coquito is Puerto Rico's answer to eggnog, a drink associated with the Christmas season made with condensed or evaporated milk, egg yolks, white rum (preferably from La Isla del Encanto), coconut milk, and spices likes cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Each year, El Museo del Barrio hosts a coquito tasting contest, and this year's will be held on December 18. The event is free and open to the public, so if you're a newbie to the drink, why not start by tasting the 10 best coquitos in town. And if you're a master of the stuff, qualifying events for recipe contenders are still being held throughout the boroughs.

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