Rum’s colorful history dates to the 1600s, when it began to be distilled from molasses or fermented sugar cane juice in the West Indies.
Rum quickly became popular with the colonists–some of whom started distilling it themselves, as well as among the ranks of the British navy, which permitted its sailors rum rations at sea.
Less costly than spices imported from the Far East, rum also caught on as an ingredient for flavoring sweets, including holiday puddings and fruit cakes.
Rum’s rich tropical taste complements a number of foods, including chocolate and coffee, and many varieties of fruit (apple, banana, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mango, orange, pineapple, pumpkin, strawberry and tangerine), as well as some varieties of nuts (almond, chestnut, hazelnut, pecan, pine nut and walnut).
Several types and styles of rum are available in liquor stores and supermarkets. In general, rich, dark, full-bodied rum, such as Jamaican, is a standard for cooking and for spiking punch.
For daiquiris and many other cocktails, many people prefer a dry, light rum, such as Puerto Rican.
For a tropical-themed brunch, start with strawberry daiquiris, followed by these sweet rolls served with omelets or scrambled eggs topped with fresh tropical fruit.
Rum buns
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 1 dozen
Currants plumped in rum, plus a touch of rum in the icing, punch up the flavor of these handsome buns. If you wish, replace the rum with apple juice or water.
Buns:
1/3 cup dried currants
1/4 cup rum
2 packages (1/4-ounce each) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm (105-115 degrees) water
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup warm (105-115 degrees) milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons softened butter plus 2 tablespoons melted
4 1/2 to 5 cups flour
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg white beaten with 1 teaspoon water
Rum glaze, recipe follows
1. Place currants in a small bowl. Add rum, cover. Let stand while preparing dough. Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl of electric mixer; add 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let stand until yeast is soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add remaining sugar, milk, salt and the 3 tablespoons softened butter to the yeast mixture. Add 3 cups of the flour. Mix to blend; beat at medium speed until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Add egg, beating until smooth. Mix in currant-rum mixture. Stir in about 1 1/2 cups of the flour to make a soft dough.
3. Turn dough out onto a board dusted with flour. Knead until dough is smooth and small bubbles form just under surface, 15-20 minutes, adding additional flour, if needed, to prevent sticking. Turn dough in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
4. Punch dough down. Cover; let rest 10 minutes. Roll dough out on a floured surface into a 12-by-18-inch rectangle. Brush with the melted butter. Mix 1/4 cup of the sugar with cinnamon; sprinkle mixture over buttered surface. Starting with one 18-inch side, roll dough tightly, jellyroll fashion. Moisten long edge with a little water and pinch to seal. Cut into 12 equal slices.
5. Place slices, cut sides down, in a well-greased, shallow 10-by-15-inch baking pan. Let rise until doubled in bulk, 20-25 minutes.
6. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush rolls lightly with egg white mixture. Bake until well browned, 25-30 minutes. Drizzle with rum glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: For rum glaze, mix 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons chopped pecans and 1 teaspoon softened butter in a small bowl. Gradually blend in 1 1/2 tablespoons rum, stirring until smooth and of a drizzling consistency.
Nutrition information per serving:
325 calories, 20% of calories from fat, 7 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 32 mg cholesterol, 57 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 252 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Strawberry daiquiri
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 drinks
If fresh strawberries are in season, you can freeze them yourself instead of purchasing packaged frozen berries. Wash and hull one heaping pint of fresh strawberries. Then arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them until partially frozen before using them in the recipe. For an alcohol-free version, replace the rum with apple or pineapple juice.
1 lemon, halved
1 package (16 ounces) frozen unsweetened strawberries, partially thawed
1 cup each: crushed ice, light rum
6 tablespoons sugar
Whole fresh strawberries with stems, optional
1. To frost daiquiri glasses, place in refrigerator or freezer until well chilled. Rub a lemon half around the rim of each glass to coat it with juice. Holding the glass upside down, dip rim in sugar; repeat with remaining glasses. Return glasses to refrigerator or freezer until needed.
2. Squeeze enough juice from the lemon halves to yield 2 tablespoons; put into blender. Add partially frozen strawberries, ice, rum and sugar; blend until frothy. Pour into frosted glasses; garnish each with a fresh strawberry, if desired.
Nutrition information per drink:
162 calories, 0% of calories from fat, 0.1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 20 g carbohydrates, 0.3 g protein, 2 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
