Category archive: Drinks

Where in the world is…

Posted on

I’ve been on a quest for quite some time now. Not to brag, but I’ve been pretty successful at it. On its face, it is a fairly easy quest: I want to try rum from every part of the world. Once upon a time that meant hopping a plane, or a boat, to travel around the globe. Certainly not a bad way to live, but it tends to be hard on the wallet. The other option would be to find someone who was hopping a boat (or plane) and have them pick you up so rum, but that would involve a lot of trust and patience.

Nowadays it’s a whole different ball game. If one of the two amazingly stocked rum bars here on Key West doesn’t have it, I can easily order rum online from around the world and arrange for it to be delivered. Not as exciting

as trotting the globe, but imminently more practical and much easier to accomplish. Thanks to modern technology, I’ve been able to sample rum from almost all of the Caribbean islands, several South and Central American countries, and even Indonesia.

In spite of this success, there was still one Holy Grail of rum that I was sure I’d never try. Oh, me of little faith….

In 1878 the Havana Club distillery was built in Cuba and very soon thereafter started turning out some spectacular rum. It’s an embargoed product, but luckily I have a friend, who has a friend, who may have had a friend of their own, and just last week I obtained a few precious ounces of Havana Club Reserva Anejo. Let me tell you something. The Cubans may have some political struggles, but they sure do make one heck of a rum! This is easily one of the most perfectly balanced rums I’ve had the pleasure of tasting. Very smooth, a little heat, somewhat sweet, rich in color but with a light enough body that I could imagine sipping on it for a very long time.

One important note. There is a rum available in the states called “Havana Club” that is produced by Bacardi and while a great product, It is not the same thing…not even close.

So find yourself a Canadian friend, get your hands on a bottle, and Make Life One Long Weekend ™ . Follow me on twitter @popcornjack, and meet me here next week for more rumology.

Bottoms up!

Jack

Don’t know much about history…

Posted on

 

You probably don’t know this, but I’m a huge history geek. I’ve always been fascinated by the past. Heck, I even read the encyclopedia as a kid, just for kicks. Part of what fascinates me about rum is the rich historical legacy it has, especially when learning about the foundation of this country. Long before America expanded west to grow amber waves of grain to then turn into whiskey, ports in New England were receiving molasses due to popular trade routes with the Caribbean islands. By 1770 there were over 140 distilleries in the colonies producing 4.8 million gallons of rum. Most people think of rum as exotic, tropical liquor. Let me tell you something, I’ve spent a lot of time in Connecticut and there is nothing exotic or tropical about it. (Except for the wild parrots of Norwalk, but now that’s a different story.)

Every summer, New Orleans hosts a convention called “Tales of the Cocktail” and with it they sponsor a themed drink creation contest. This year’s theme was the Old Fashioned, a classic American cocktail. Wanting to combine the style of the cocktail with the history of rum, I came up with something that celebrates all of that, and is going to be perfect for the upcoming warm months.

Combine:

  • 1.5 parts Ron Zacapa Centenario
  • 1 part of peach nectar
  • A couple of dashes of Angostura bitters

Shake it up and strain it into a double rocks glass that has been rinsed with Aperol and packed with crushed ice. If you want to get fancy, for a little extra zing, garnish it with a flamed orange peel.

So invite some friends over, whip up a batch of these (I call it the “Old Colonial”) and Make Life One Long Weekend ™.  Bottoms up!

Hot Rum Cider recipe

Posted on

Hot Rum Cider

  • 1 L Gold or Dark Rum
  • 6 liters apple cider
  • 3 cups dried cranberries
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 5 star anise
  • 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. all spice

Combine all ingredients in a stock pan and cook on medium heat for 1 hour. Strain through a find mesh strainer; garnish with an orange twist.

Yields 20 cups