Eggnog, coquito or rompope? In Texas, you can have all three holiday drinks.
Love it or hate it, Americans drink roughly 14.5 million gallons of eggnog each year. That is 19,383 tons, to be exact, of the sweet, creamy and boozy holiday drink.
That is tons to love and hate.
But hey, we’re in Texas, which means our preferences on Christmas libation extends to Carribbean and Mexican cultures.
Puerto Rico has its coquito (co-kee-to), Mexico its rompope (rrohm-poh-peh), and Americans their traditional (or not so traditional) eggnog — and Texans can enjoy all three festive libations.
So, what are the differences between the three drinks?
What’s in eggnog, and what in creation is a nog?
For many Americans eggnog is the sweet seasonal drink that starts showing up in cartons lining the dairy section of the local grocery store just after Thanksgiving. Apparently that creamy beverage, per FDA regulations, contains very little egg and is certainly non-alcoholic.
You want the real stuff? Make it yourself.
But what exactly is it?
And, for the love of God, what is a nog?
According to vocabulary.com, a nog was a type of strong ale that was mixed with eggs to make a festive drink.
Another interpretation is that the “nog” in eggnog came from a mid-17th century English word “noggin,” which is a wooden cup carved out of a tree’s burr, or for us Yankees, burl.
Got it?
Now to the good stuff.
A traditional eggnog is a mixture of milk, cream, sugar and eggs (both yolk and whipped egg whites) and rum bourbon or brandy. You can also add a dash of warm spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg and a drop of vanilla extract, according to thepioneerwoman.com.
It’s a classic American Christmas beverage that is creamy, sweet and served chilled.
Wepa! What makes a coquito, well, a coquito?
Coquito is the Puerto Rican equivalent to eggnog — the word itself means “little coconut.” But don’t let the diminutive moniker fool you. Its rich coconut flavor carries a robust punch..
The primary difference between a coquito and eggnog is that the Carribbean drink does not have egg and it calls for Puerto Rican rum.
Traditions are what they are because they do not change. On the egg or no egg debate, here is what thenoshery.com has to say: “I am firmly in the no egg yolk camp. My abuela and mother made it with no egg yolk so I make it with no egg yolk. I always say coquito isn’t eggnog it’s coquito..”
Here are the basic ingredients of the drink:
Evaporated milk
Sweetened condensed milk
Cream of coconut (like Coco Lopez)
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Vanilla
White Don Q rum
Cinnamon sticks for garnish
But much like eggnog, this Puerto Rican drink is best served chilled.
In case you have not looked it up, Dec. 21 is National Coquito Day. Order your stash from DelCarmen Coquito in Dallas.
“100% Puerto Rican Coquito made right in the DFW,” DelCarmen Coquito’s Facebook page says. “Coquito season is ALL winter long so that means we’re going until March 20th.”
What’s in rompope, the Mexican eggnog?
Rompope is popular in Mexico, Belize and most of Latin America. This traditional drink can be bought in stores in Mexico year round, but many will tell you it is so much more delicious if you make it yourself.
This traditional Mexican beverage was said to have first been concocted in a convent in the city of Puebla by the nuns. When the legend of its sweet and creamy texture spilled out of the nunnery’s walls, many flocked to the convent to taste the delicious drink.
It is a derivation of the Spanish drink rompon, which is essentially eggnog with rum.
It’s iconic yellow comes from using only the egg yolk — the main difference it has with eggnog. It is basically made of milk, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, eggs, rum or brandy, vanilla extract, and ... baking soda? Legend has it that the nun who made rompope added a secret ingredient. It may have been the baking soda. But why?
There are many theories but no definitive answers. Gemma Stafford, writing for biggerbolderbaking.com, dove deep into the topic and concluded the mystery ingredient was baking soda. Stafford writes that although baking soda leaves a bitter aftertaste, it does thicken the texture. That is probably why rompope is so creamy.
Ana Frias of Muy Delish writes: “This Rompope Mexicano is so light and fluffy for an eggnog and the flavors are much better than anything you get from the store. The flavors remind me of my beloved horchata and arroz con leche but with a deeper taste which comes from the eggs, cloves and the liquor. Drink it plain or enjoy over ice and will always be a crowd pleaser!”