Thanks to Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, The International Coquito Federation, and the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration New York Regional Office, a traditional drink like egg-nog that is served during the Christmas Holidays in Puerto Rico, was highlighted in competition.
The event that took place last night at the Brooklyn Borough Hall in Brooklyn, N.Y. were the NYC Finals of the 2015 International Coquito Masters. The winner moved on to the Northeast Championship Competition.
Diana Reyna, Deputy Borough President, introduced the proceedings along with Eric L. Adams, who presented an award to the founder of the Coquito Masters, Debbie Quinones, who started this event in her living room in the early days.
“We have to preserve our culture, and Coquito is one of the ways we can do that.”
Quinones reminded.
Adams, who had the honor of representing Brooklyn as a first time site for these finals supported this notion.
“We have to protect the hyphen,”
Adams explained, ”
Whether its Puerto Rican-hyphen American, Chinese hyphen American etc.”
Eight stations were opened to those in attendance, who all had one vote to decide the champion after a thirty minute sampling session. Competition was stiff as the field included a four-time titleholder who finished third, the 2013 champ, and the defending champion, Jean Scales, who was the runner-up on this occasion.
At the end of the evening the champion was decided. Rosemary Colon of the Bronx was announced the new Coquito Master.
“I deal with life and I love what I do. I make Coquito all day.”
