Rum
Coquito
(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)
Coquito is a popular Christmas beverage in Puerto Rico. It has similarities to American eggnog, but the use of creme de coco or coconut milk gives it a unique island flavor. A version with eggs, known as ponche crema, is a favorite in Venezuela. Read more »
Mojitos
(Cuban rum, lime and mint cocktail)
This mojito is Cuba's answer to the mint julep -- perfect on a hot summer day. Mojitos have been around since at least the mid-1800s. They were reputedly one of Hemingway's favorite drinks. According to a quote attributed to him, those at "La Bodeguita" bar in Havana were the best. Read more »
Piña Coladas
(Puerto Rican pineapple-coconut beverage)
This drink--whose name simply means "strained pineapple"--was invented in the 1950s or 1960s in San Juan, Puerto Rico, by either Ramon Marrero at the Caribe Hilton or by Don Ramon Portas Mingat at Barranchina Bar , depending on whom you believe. Whoever made it first, it's delicious. Read more »
Planter's Punch
(Caribbean rum punch)
Depending on whom you believe, planter's punch was either created by the wife of a Jamaican plantation owner, or at the Planter Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri. Regardless, this fruity punch has become a popular beverage to serve to guests throughout the Caribbean. Recipes vary widely, but they all contain rum, lime juice and a sweetener or other fruit juices. Read more »
