Sky juice

Ingredients

Base

• 500 mlfresh coconut water
• 60 mlsweetened condensed milk
• 120 mlgin

To flavour

• freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoonfresh coconut flesh, scraped, optional
• a squeeze of lime, optional

To serve

• plenty of ice

Directions

1. Strain the water through a sieve to catch any shell fragments. Split the nut open afterwards to reach the soft jelly inside.
2. Pour the coconut water into a jug or into a shaker.
3. Add the condensed milk and stir it until it dissolves. Condensed milk sinks and needs proper stirring to combine.
4. Pour in the gin and stir the whole thing again. Taste it carefully before you add anything else. It should be sweet, soft and clearly coconut flavoured.
5. Add more condensed milk if it tastes thin to you. Add a squeeze of lime if it tastes too sweet. Serving it is done ice cold in a tall glass.
6. Fill two tall glasses right to the top with ice. Pour the mixture over the ice and let it settle. Grate fresh nutmeg generously over the surface of each glass.
7. Spoon in a little of the coconut jelly if you saved some. Drink it while it is still very cold and freshly mixed.

Technique

• Junkanoo is the Bahamian street parade held on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, running from the small hours until after dawn.
• Sky juice is one of the drinks traditionally sold along the route.

Substitutions

• Evaporated milk gives a thinner, less sweet drink and needs sugar added.
• Rum can replace the gin, though gin is the traditional spirit for this one.

Variations

• Some vendors blend in the coconut jelly for a thicker drink.
• Others add a dash of vanilla or a spoonful of sweetened cream.
• A stronger pour is sometimes sold under the name gully wash.

History

Gin with coconut water, sweet milk and nutmeg, sold from roadside stands and drunk at Junkanoo before dawn.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sky juice?

Sky juice is a cocktail from Bahamas: gin and coconut water with condensed milk. Gin with coconut water, sweet milk and nutmeg, sold from roadside stands and drunk at Junkanoo before dawn.

How long does Sky juice take to make?

Sky juice takes 10 minutes of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes 2 glasses. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Sky juice?

Yes, within limits. Evaporated milk gives a thinner, less sweet drink and needs sugar added. Rum can replace the gin, though gin is the traditional spirit for this one.

What is the most important thing to get right in Sky juice?

Pour in the gin and stir the whole thing again. Taste it carefully before you add anything else. It should be sweet, soft and clearly coconut flavoured.