Born To Rum (video)

So… continuing on my previous thoughts on the culinary association of the Caribbean with rum I did some internet trolling. Among my finds (which are now merrily archived for later reference) was an article by Ramin Ganeshram (author of Sweet Hands: Island Cooking From Trinidad And Tobago) on Epicurious.com. Titled ‘Born to Rum‘ it is a look at the genesis of the liquor, the historical transitions it has made and its current renaissance as an upscale ‘designer’ liquor.

Excerpt:

When Christopher Columbus first brought sugarcane to the Caribbean, little did he know that he was also revolutionizing the drinking world. It didn’t take long for producers to realize that they could ferment the molasses that was a by-product of sugar production then distill it into a high-proof flavored spirit called “rum” ??????? most likely a contraction of the word “rumbullion,” meaning strong liquor.

So popular was this new drink that it became the basis for a wide variety of beverages, including punches; the demand for it skyrocketed. The British Royal Navy even issued a private rum to all its sailors. This daily ration of Pusser’s British Navy Rum, called “grog,” was comprised of agricole rums (made by fermenting free-run sugarcane juice) from several locales including Trinidad, Guyana, and the British Virgin Islands. It remained a tradition for three centuries, until 1970, and is available on the general market today.

One example of the new designer trend in rum is 10 cane, a Trinidadian rum from the house of Louis Vuitton! Well this must be a most upscale thing because although I have seen it in American magazines I’ve never seen it on our local shelves. It’s not even listed in the MoreVino catalogue 🙁

Continue reading: Spirits and Alcoholic Beverage Guide at Epicurious.com

I leave you now with Neeshan Prabhoo’s Chutney Soca Hit “More Rum For Me (Mr. Shankar)”. This joint turns any Trini fete/party/nightclub into a poorly choreographed Bollywood dance scene in .02 seconds flat 😛