I recently finished reading a great example of travel writing, called An Embarrassment of Mangoes: A Caribbean Interlude by Ann Vanderhoof. In it, the author and her husband give up their high pressure Toronto publishing jobs for two years of travel through the Caribbean on a sail boat. At the end of each chapter, Vanderhoof throws in a few recipes that she concocted or learned during that period of her travels. Being in the Caribbean, those naturally included a few rum-based cocktail recipes. Let me tell you, the week we had 90+ degree temperatures here in Portland, I made those cocktails with alacrity and frequency. They were just perfect!
Here are her recipes:
Rum and Coconut Water à la Receta (the name of Vanderhoof's sailboat)
2 ounces white rum
4 ounces (approx.) coconut water
1 tablespoon (approx.) sweetened condensed milk (or to taste)
Whole nutmeg
Shake or stir the rum, coconut water, and milk with ice. Taste, and add more milk if you want the drink a bit sweeter. Liberally grate nutmeg on top.
Makes 1 drink.
Port of Spain "Stress Cooler"
Served at the Afterwork Stress Cooler (a.k.a big outdoor party with live music and lots to drink) in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
6 ounces white rum
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 ounce golden syrup
6 ounces evaporated milk
1-2 ounces sweetened condensed milk (approx.)
Freshly grated nutmeg
1. Combine a couple of tablespoons of the rum with the espresso and cocoa powders and stir until smooth.
2. Add the rest of the rum, the syrup, and the evaporated milk. Sweeten to taste with condensed milk.
3. Serve over ice, with freshly grated nutmeg on top.
Makes 3 drinks.
My notes:
1. I substituted spiced dark rum for the white rum in these recipes because it's what I had, and I really like spiced rum. I thought it worked beautifully. I recommend Sailor Jerry's or The Kraken Black Rum.
2. For "golden syrup" in the Stress Cooler recipe, I used agave syrup. I find that it works great in place of ordinary simple syrup in mixed drinks.
ENJOY!
