Caribbean Rum Cruise June 22, 2010

Rum - it's not just for daiquiris anymore!
The sugarcane came first. A grass, it sprung up in either Northeast India or some South Pacific Island. Arab voyagers introduced it to Europe early in the seventh century, but sugar remained a costly rarity until Columbus carried cane cuttings to the West Indies where they prospered, and sugar became the major crop of the Islands. Rum is made from the molasses that is a byproduct of sugar production. As molasses, it was part of the notorious triangle of the slave trade. New England shipping families carried rum from local distilleries to Africa where it was traded for slaves who were then taken to work in Caribbean cane fields, harvesting sugar to make more molasses to be taken to New England and transformed into spirits.

Rum today has many faces and new variations seem to appear almost weekly. Rum can be classified as White, Gold/Aged, and Dark. The best rums today, now stand on the Cognac plateau and many should be considered as sipping drinks. No Coca-Cola allowed!

Matt Rhode of Glazers presents. We've tapped into a great selection of rums, and paired them with a fantastic menu of Caribbean-inspired dishes from Grovewood's award-winning kitchen. A complimentary recipe book of the dishes served (but adapted for the home kitchen) will be presented. Full menu details at our website, www.grovewoodtavern.com!