By July begins. Fourth of July week. The grandchildren over for the holiday. Sparklers. American flags. Eduardo grilled. Hot dogs and burgers but also arroz con gandules because we are us. Lucas led the sparkler parade. Isabella organized the children into a line. Camila was the sergeant-at-arms. Mateo was the small one. Andrés sat in the wagon and clapped.
Tuesday food bank: holiday meal — burgers and hot dogs and arroz with gandules and watermelon. The line was light because Hartford was at backyard barbecues. Brian had ordered watermelon for fifty and we had not run out.
Wednesday Cocina week four: tostones and mofongo. Walter made an excellent mofongo. Fatima cried at the smell. The class continued.
Thursday Mami was tired. Friday tired. Saturday more lucid. The wave.
Saturday David came up alone — James was visiting his family in Queens. David spent six hours in the kitchen with me. We cooked together. He made the coquito for the Fourth (yes, in summer, no, it is not traditional, but he wanted to and Eduardo loved coquito and so we made it). I made the pernil — small one — and we ate together with Eduardo. David said, "Ma, the kitchen is calmer than I remember it being when I was small." I said, "Mijo, when you were small there were five of us and now there are two." He laughed. We worked side by side. He left Sunday morning. Wepa.
David and I were side by side for six hours that Saturday — him stirring his coquito, me tending the pernil — and what struck me most was how unhurried it all felt. A kitchen made for two, no rush, just the work and the warmth. When I think about what to share from that day, I keep coming back to the idea of something you make with your hands and pour for someone you love. This chocolate liqueur is not coquito, but it carries the same spirit: something rich, something smooth, something you hand a person and say I made this for you. We made ours. You can make yours.
Chocolate Liqueur
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min + 2 hrs chilling | Servings: 16 (about 2 cups)
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 oz dark chocolate (70% cacao), finely chopped
- 1 cup good-quality vodka or dark rum
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- Build the base. Combine heavy cream, milk, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture is steaming but not boiling, about 5 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate. Remove the pan from heat and add the chopped chocolate all at once. Let it sit undisturbed for 1 minute, then whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is glossy and smooth.
- Cool completely. Pour the chocolate mixture into a large bowl and let it cool to room temperature, about 20–25 minutes. Do not skip this step — adding the spirit to a hot base will cook off the alcohol.
- Add the spirit and season. Stir in the vodka or dark rum, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk gently until fully combined.
- Bottle and chill. Pour into a clean glass bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. The liqueur will keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.
- Serve. Shake the bottle gently before each pour. Serve over ice, straight in a small glass, or stirred into hot coffee. Give a bottle to someone you love.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 145 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 12g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 20mg