Two Shots and a Pint
  • Home
  • Blog Posts
    • From The 2 Shots Cellar
    • Beverages
      • Wine
      • Spirits and Cocktails
      • Beer
      • Coffee and Tea
      • Juice
    • Equipment
    • People
    • Wine 101
    • 2shotsaway
    • 2ShotsinChile
  • Events
  • About 2 Shots and a Pint
  • Contact Us

Two Shots and a Pint

  • Home
  • Blog Posts
    • From The 2 Shots Cellar
    • Beverages
      • Wine
      • Spirits and Cocktails
      • Beer
      • Coffee and Tea
      • Juice
    • Equipment
    • People
    • Wine 101
    • 2shotsaway
    • 2ShotsinChile
  • Events
  • About 2 Shots and a Pint
  • Contact Us
BeveragesSpirits and Cocktails

Aww (Coco) Nuts

written by Gail Sotelo February 22, 2017

It’s getting hot in the Philippines.

Living in a tropical archipelago (with 7,107 or 7,108 islands depending on the tide, as one of our Miss Universe candidates once said) such as ours allows me to associate the heat with a couple of things: Our famous beaches (we’ve got the legendary Boracay, Palawan, and Surigao just to name a few), and coconuts (which one can also enjoy in one of our beaches).

Lakang Haring Kahal

Lakang Haring Kahal

Naturally, having such an abundance of coconuts in our country lets us go wild in thinking up many ways to consume them. Non-alcoholics can enjoy them as fruit juice, of course… But nothing beats turning them into lambanog (our once upon a time “moonshine”), or my recent discovery, the kahal.

The key difference (as far as I understand it, and I welcome other opinions as well) is that kahal is made from the water of young coconuts (as opposed to lambanog, which is made by distilling the sap of an unopened coconut flower).

What I also found fascinating with kahal is, similar to how winemaking methods in the EU are regulated by the appellation the wine falls under, that it cannot be called kahal if it’s not packaged in handcrafted coconut shells from the “mystical” Mount Banahaw (a three-peaked active “holy” volcano located in Luzon). Also, to add a bit more European influence, its vinification process was prescribed by the Institut Oenologique de Champagne in Épernay, France.

One shouldn’t think it’s a European beverage, however. It’s such a Filipino drink that, during the centennial of our liberation from the Spanish regime in 1998, it was commissioned by Malacañang (the official workplace and residence of the Philippine president) to use for toasting.

In terms of taste, if one happens upon a nicely crafted kahal, it’s sweet, floral, light, with pronounced flavors of coconut. Personally, I prefer it chilled, served in a shot glass, and/or diluted with a splash of water. It can easily be paired with any Filipino dish, but I find it perfect with kinilaw (our raw seafood dish that uses vinegar).

Preferably by the beach, especially in this heat.

On that note, let me grab a coconut shell full of kahal and get some sand on my toes. Cheers!

Aww (Coco) Nuts was last modified: August 19th, 2017 by Gail Sotelo

Comments

comments

19982shotsandapintalcoholbeachblogbloggerbloggingboracaycentennialcharlene gonzalescoconutepernayeueuropeFilipinofranceHeatkahallakang harilambanogluzonmalacanangMiss Universemount banahawoenologypalawanPhilippinePinoyshellspainspanish regimesummersurigaovinification
0 comment
0
Facebook Twitter Google + Pinterest
Gail Sotelo

previous post
Let There Be Sparkle!
next post
The Ultimate Geographic Challenge

You may also like

On Friends, Travel, and Casual Wine Cultures

June 30, 2015

Zonin: A Journey Through Italian Territories

December 3, 2016

Greetings from a Place That’s #TrulyAsia

February 1, 2016

Baguio’s Best Kept Secret

March 15, 2017

A Quick Hello

July 21, 2017

Go Tell It On The Mountain

November 23, 2015

Tea Time in London

November 6, 2015

Quarantine Food and Drink Pairings

June 19, 2020

Big Things Poppin’!

March 15, 2016

Oktoberfest – OG German Style

September 18, 2019

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Follow Us

Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube

STAY UPDATED

Instagram

  • #aboutlastnight Pleasantly surprised by how yummy and round this wine was... I mean it clashed like hell with the gorgonzola
  • Ctto, but I
  • Ctto #humor #joke #tea #coffee #caffeine #home #quote #coffeePorn #drinks #lol #2shotsandapint #herbal #organic #natural
  • If you
  • Craving for some rebujito on a very hot day like today #summer #manila #philippines #lockdown #quarantine #home #cocktail #drinks #alcohol
  • Feeling extra bougie during our brand spanking new lockdown. What
  • LA memories #jetlag #travel #losangeles #la #socal #california #alcohol #hotel #drinks #beer #beerporn #2shotsandapint #flashback
  • Figuring out what to do with these babies... Open to suggestions! @moninph #syrup #cocktail #mixology #coffee #liquid #drinks #alcohol #2shotsandapint
  • Flashback to a particularly froufrou afternoon with a cute Japanese cheesecake and milk tea ❤️ #milktea #japanese #cheesecake #tea #froufrou

Recent Posts

  • Music and Drinks
  • I’m Drinking… Nespresso in Volluto Decaffeinato
  • I’m Drinking… Santa Margherita Chianti Classico Riserva 2016
  • I’m Drinking… Sho Chiku Bai Nigori Sake
  • I’m Drinking…. Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Our Partners

Chile
Poco Deli

2018 Copyright © All Rights Reserved - 2 Shots and a Pint