holiday island getaway
Christmas
Puerto Rico Style
The holiday season in Puerto Rico is a
truly unique showcase of culture, music, and
finger-licking food.
W
hile the Christmas celebrations in the mainland
begin the 25th of December, in Puerto Rico, Christmas begins
right after Thanksgiving dinner and
ends with the Fiestas de la Calle San
Sebastián, which are typically held
mid-January. So if you’re looking to
celebrate the longest holiday celebration in the world, here are a few things
you shouldn’t miss.
PARRANDAS
It’s 1AM and you are cozily resting in
your bed snuggled under the warm
comforter. All of the sudden someone knocks on your door. You open
up you’re greeted with a screeching
“¡Asalto!” and a group of around 20
people who start singing and playing
the maracas, panderos and güiros.
Yo u ’ ve j u st b e e n b l e s s e d w i t h
130 FOOD TRAVELER | WINTER 2013
a parrranda, the Puerto Rican version
of a Christmas carol. The host usually
lets them in, feeds them and provides
plenty of cocktails. After a few songs,
it’s time to move on to the next house.
Mind you, this goes on way past the
wee hours of the morning.
LECHÓN & COQUITO
Although roasted pigs are served
year-round, lechón is especially popular during the holiday season. For a
limited time, almost every restaurant
pulls out their crunchy, mouthwatering version of this local delicatessen.
But nowhere is lechón more popular
than in Guavate, a strip of road lined
up with lechoneras on both sides.
Then there’s coquito, a sort of eggnog made with coconut and rum that
can be found at every family dinner
during the holidays. If you want to get
your hands on some just ask around,
almost everybody can point you in the
right direction. If you just can’t wait
until Christmas, here’s an easy to follow recipe so you can make some at
home any time of the year.
Mix all ingredients in a blender,
except the cinnamon sticks. Serve in
a bottle, add cinnamon sticks and let
it chill in the fridge. Serve chilled and
get ready for a delicious Puerto Rican
cocktail.