Rompope: not even the 17th-century nuns behind this Mexican eggnog could resist drinking it!

We are in Puebla, in east-central Mexico, southeast of Mexico City, known for its culinary history, colonial architecture and pottery.
Nuns at the Santa Clara convent started making rompope in the 17th century.
The word “rompope” is a derivation of the word “pope.”
Though often called Mexican eggnog, this beverage is differentiated by its yellow hue, a result of cooked yolks and no egg whites.
The Santa Clara sisters derived their recipe from ponche de huevo, or “egg punch,” which came to Mexico by way of Spain.
At the time, the Catholic Church was prominent in government and society, and convents often hosted visiting officials and religious dignitaries. As such, fine cuisine was developed in the cloisters with the Clarists garnering much acclaim for their confections, spirits and sweets.
As officials from the Catholic Church ate and drank their way through Mexico’s religious houses, they encountered the delicious drink, but also visitors, who lauded the rich mixture.
As story goes, one Sister Eduviges made two key contributions to rompope enjoyment.
First, even though the recipe is known to contain milk, egg yolks, spices, sugar, and aguardiente or rum and occasional additions like ground almonds or pine nuts, there is also one secret ingredient that remains with Eduviges.
But, perhaps more importantly, she successfully requested that the nuns be allowed to enjoy the rompope they had previously only been able to make!

Today, families prepare rompope during the holidays and liquor companies sell their bottles across the country.
Across Latin America, drinkers often sip the festive beverage chilled or on ice, but Nicaraguans also enjoy a warm version of it, while creameries, bakeries, and restaurants use rompope to flavor ice cream, pastries, fruit, and cake batter.
Some versions are thickened with almonds, chocolate, pistachios, walnuts, or pine nuts—the lattermost of which is often denoted by being dyed pink.
Coquito, its Puerto Rican version, brings a refreshing and tropical twist to the season, in which sweetened condensed milk acts as sweetener, evaporated milk adds body, and of course the island influence is asserted with coconut milk.
Either way, every version is poured and shared on nochebuena (Christmas Eve) and given out as gifts in festively wrapped bottles, but will fit in at any holiday celebration or other special occasions.
And It’s hardly a surprise that modern Mexicans of all classes and creeds have found a way to enjoy rompope in so many formats.
Something so delicious could only stay cloistered for so long!

Images from web – Google Research