Más Noches Buenas with Buchanan’s Whisky
You can never have too much coquito.
Photography by @fin.alis.
It’s officially La Sala Season—which means it’s time to gather around the living room with family and friends in your best outfits, have riveting conversations, watch holiday comfort movies, play games, and drink homemade coquito. To kick off the season, Buchanan’s Whisky partnered with the Lower East Side’s newest Puerto Rican cafe, Café Colmado, to host Latine and Afro-Latine creatives for the Más Noches Buenas dinner.
In partnership with NGL Mitú, Más Noches Buenas honored the 200% Food Service Workers of New York City, and Buchanan’s Whisky donated to the Street Vendors Project through its 200% Futuro Fund. The member-led community organization helps support street vendors, many of whom are immigrants.
The night began with a charcuterie with seasonal fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses, and dipping sauces. As soon as you walked into Café Colmado, you were greeted by the DJ booth, where DJ Camilo played the best of reggaeton tracks, and the bar, which served the Puerto Rican holiday traditional drinks, coquito, and carajillo. There was a lingering anticipation of beginning dinner as everyone could smell chef and Café Colmado owner Manolo López’s recipes from the kitchen, which were about to bless our dishes.
Photography by @fin.alis.
López cooked a multi-course meal of signature Puerto Rican dishes, beginning with a harvest salad, ensalada de papas (potato salad), and ensalada de coditos (macaroni salad). As if that didn’t start to satisfy our appetites, it was time for dinner. Despite being full, many went back for seconds for López’s arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican rice with pigeon peas), pernil al horno con salsa tomatillo y kiwi (pork shoulder), and tamales de pollo (chicken tamales).
While the cold weather tried to settle our spicy dishes as we ate on Café Colmado’s back patio, we headed inside for dessert. For some, dessert meant another glass of coquito and more dancing. For others, it meant flan made by Carla Barla Cakes and café con galletas (coffee with cookies). We left with full bellies, new friends, authentic connections to share similar and different cultures and traditions, and an eagerness for más noches buenas.
Make López’s Buchanan’s Cafecito Coquito!
Ingredients (12 Servings):
2.5 cups Buchanan’s 12-Year DeLuxe Blended Scotch Whisky
15 oz Coconut Cream
13.5 oz Coconut Milk
12 oz Evaporated Milk
14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 tbsp Cinnamon
12 oz Fresh Drip Coffee or Espresso (1 oz per serving)
Garnish: Grated Cinnamon
Glassware: Rocks Glass
Preparation:
Blend the Buchanan’s whisky, coconut cream, coconut milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and cinnamon until smooth and fully combined.
Pour the coquito mixture over ice in rocks glasses.
Finish each drink by pouring 1 oz of fresh drip coffee or espresso on top to create a layered effect.
Garnish with grated cinnamon.
