Rum

'Rumbullion" meaning 'rumpus' was the drink of the slaves on plantations in the British West Indies as early as the seventeenth century, and from this came the drink we know today as rum. Rum is made basically of sugar cane by-products and is produced in most sugar growing countries. Puerto Rico is a big rum producer, and other suppliers are British West Indies, Venezuela, Brazil, Jamaica and Australia.

It is the amount of burnt sugar cane syrup, or caramel, that gives colour and flavour to the drink. Rum comes in a number of these, with three main types - white, gold and black label. Puerto Rican rums are blends of aged rums distilled at a high proof for lightness and dryness and aged from one to three years. White and gold labels are produced there, the gold being sweeter and darker than the white. The Jamaicans produce gold and black label, the black ( my personal favourite) being richer, darker and more heavy-bodied than the gold. These are aged in oak casks.

Personally, I tend towards rum and coke, or rum and water, but there are a number of other ways to enjoy this charming beverage. They're nice for a change.

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Daiquiri

3 parts white rum

1 part lemon or lime juice

3 dashes of Gomme Syrup or 1 teaspoon sugar

Thouroughly shake the white rum, juice and syrup or sugar. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve.

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Zombie (original version)

60 mL (2 fl oz) light rum

30 mL (1 fl oz) Jamaican rum

15 mL (0.5 fl oz) apricot brandy

0.5 teaspoon castor sugar

15 mL (0.5 fl oz) lemon juice

1 teaspoon papaya nectar and/or 1 teaspoon pineapple juice and/or 1 teaspoon passionfruit juice and/or 1 teaspoon plum or apricot juice

cracked ice

mint, pineapple, cherry or garnish

15 mL (0.5 fl oz) 150 proof Demarara rum

In a cocktail shaker put all the ingredients except the Demarara rum. Shake well with cracked ice. Pour unstrained into a zombie glass which is half full of cracked ice. Decorate with a sprig of mint or a pineapple spear and cherry. Top with Demarara rum, pouring carefully so that it floats on the surface of the drink. Serve with drinking straws.

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Zombie (standard version)

30 mL (1 fl oz) lemon or lime juice

4 dashes passionola or papaya juice

4 dashes each of apricot and cherry brandy

30 mL (1 fl oz) each of white, dark, Jamaican rum and 151 proof rum

Fill a zombie glass with cracked ice. Add the above ingredients, except the 151 proof rum, and stir. Top with 151 proof rum. Garnish with cherries and a slice of orange.

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Hot Buttered Rum

45 mL (1.5 fl oz) Jamaican rum

1 lump sugar

small slice of butter

nutmeg

Use an old-fashioned glass or mug. Combine the rum, sugar and butter. Fill the glass with boiling water over a silver spoon (to prevent glass breaking) and stir. Sprinkle nutmeg on top and serve.

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Mai Tai

60 mL (2 fl oz) light rum

30 mL (1 fl oz) Jamaican rum

1 teaspoon sugar

15 mL (0.5 fl oz) lemon or lime juice

15 mL (0.5 fl oz) almond liquer

crushed ice

sprig of mint

pineaple spear

maraschino cherry

Pour light and Jamaican rum, sugar, lemon or lime juice and almond liquer into an old fashioned glass half filled with ice. Mix well. Add crushed ice to fill and stir gently to combine the ice with other ingredients. Garnish with a sprig of mint, a pineapple spear and a maraschino cherry. For the lazy: add the spirits to Mai Tai mix if it's available.

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Pina Colada

45 mL (1.5 fl oz) light rum

30 mL (1 fl oz) pineapple juice

30 mL (1 fl oz) coconut milk

15 mL (0.5 fl oz) cream

15 mL (0.5 fl oz) Cointreau

ice

slice of pineapple

cherry

Shake with ice, strain into champagne glass and garnish with slice of pineapple and cherry.

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Of course, blood is quite nice too. (Try equal measures of it, cream and white spirits.)