Rums Of The Caribbean

Just a year in St. Lucia, one of the beautiful islands in Caribbean, I've learn a lot about tradition, foods, drinks, the way of living and more...

And what make me so interesting the most was the way people here drinking, Actually I am not a really bad drinker, I mean for just a case of Heineken for 2 of us, I can do it, but for here, beers are considered to be just like water to them. And most which they drink are rums, rums are known around the world, and Caribbean people drink rum just like we eat rice.

Here are just some of which mostly well known in the Caribbean.

El Dorado Rum, Guyana
El Dorado Dark Rum has the smooth strength and the warm full-bodied taste that has satisfied the most traditional of rum drinkers, afloat or ashore.
The new, younger, adventurous breed of rum discoverers appreciates its distinctive qualities.
This lightly aged rum is perfect as a straight drink and as winter grog or as a mixer.
ABV: 40%




Admiral Rodney-St. Lucia
Burnished pale amber with a faint grayish hue. Chocolate, brown spice, caramel, and earthy fresh cut flower aromas. A soft, round entry leads to a smooth, dryish medium-bodied palate with caramel, ripe dried fruits, earthy Brett-like minerals, and rich brown spices. Finishes with a lingering, spicy wood, and fruit fade. Interesting.Admiral Rodney Rum Extra Old aus St. Lucia mit 700 ml. und 40 % Vol. This is the best Rum from the distillery so enjoy straight. Burnished pale amber with a faint grayish hue. Chocolate, brown spice, caramel, and earthy fresh cut flower aromas. A soft, round entry leads to a smooth, dryish medium-bodied palate with caramel, ripe dried fruits, earthy Brett-like minerals, and rich brown spices. Finishes with a lingering, spicy wood, and fruit fade. Interesting.
ABV40%


Macoucherie Rum- Dominique
Strong alcohol taste in a light clear rum. Bottled for the West Indian taste for a rum with attitude.
The fresh sugar cane aroma is high-lighted with a white oak and tone which carries through the fruit and suede leather body to the rich tannins in the finish.
ABV 50%





Sunset Extra Gold Rum-St. Vincent
A distinctive blend of aged golden rums. Distilled from a molasses wash in a modern two column still, the success of this blend is due in part to the unique aging conditions. After distillation, the fresh rum is dilluted to 54% alcohol by volume before it is allowed to mellow in once used oak Kentucky bourbon barrels for up to ten years.



Royal Oak-Trinidad & Tobago
Royal Oak is a select blend of the finest aged rums, hand - crafted and matured slowly in charred oak casks. It is Trinidad's great, superior rum.
ABV 40%








Mount Gay- Barbados
Mount Gay is one of the oldest rum in the world. Since 1703 this rum has been hand-crafted at the same location, using the finest Barbados sugar cane and pure spring water.
Mount Gay Rum's heritage and legendary quality continue to be enjoyed by rum connoisseurs the world over.
savor the legend of Mount Gay Rum with cola with your favorite mixer or on the rocks.
ABV 40%

Bacardi Silver, Light Rum- Puerto Rico
BACARDI Silver (Superior) is the world's great brand of rum. It is classic BACARDI rum, the soul of the BACARDI brand - youthful, high-quality, sociable, sensual and passionate. BACARDI Silver is the main bearer of Bacardi's authenticity, origin and craft; it has carried the BACARDI Bat Device as its symbol since 1862. Its personality is that of the Latin Caribbean...which provides the Brand with a unique point of view on life.
ABV 43%





La Favorite- Martinique
Dark Brown rhum Agricola distilled from fresh sugar cane juice.
A blend of rhums aged 3 to 10 years in used whiskey and bourbon barrels.The aroma carries hints of prune and smoky wood leading to a balanced fig, cinnamon, prune and nutmeg body with licorice in the finish.
ABV 50%






Appleton Estate-Jamaica
Appleton Estate is the oldest and most famous of all of Jamaica's sugar estates. It is nestled in the fertile Nassau Valley on either side of the Black River in the Southwest of Jamaica. The origins of Appleton Estate date back to 1655 when the English captured Jamaica from the Spaniards. Frances Dickinson, whose grandsons Caleb and Ezekiel were the earliest known owners of the Appleton Estate, took part in that conquest of Jamaica, and it is believed that Appleton Estate was part of the land grant that Dickinson received as reward for his services.
ABV 43%

Rice, The Symbol Of Life

Talking about cooking last time, I forgot to mention about rice, anyway, I am sure all of us would know that we, Khmer, are consuming rice as stable food everyday. Rice is part of the rituals and ceremonies and it is part of religious offerings.

According to one of our Khmer cookbooks, there are more than 2000 rice varieties indigenous to Cambodia, and more than 40,000 rice varieties world wide.

Here, I am just briefly describing some rice are mostly used in South East Asia and around the world.


Jasmine Rice (SE Asia),
Jasmine Rice is the best aromatic rice well known in the world. The grains of Jasmine rice appear silky, smooth and shiny.


White Rice (SE Asia),
White Rice means rice that is obtained by removing bran from Cargo non-glutinous rice.



White Glutinous Rice (SE Asia),
White Glutinous Rice means sticky rice or sweet rice, consists of amylase and amylopectin starch. With a chalky white texture, glutinous rice is often use in producing starch and flour.


Black Glutinous Rice (SE Asia),
Black Glutinous Rice has a rich, nutty flavor that is distinctly different from the more subtle taste of glutinous rice. It is generally sweetened with coconut milk and sugar and eaten as a snack or dessert.

Black Rice (SE Asia),
Black Rice could be either medium or long grain. Precooked black rice has white kernels inside the black bran. Once cooked, the rice becomes deep dark purple with a nutty flavor and whole grain texture.

Red Rice ( SE Asia),
Red Rice has a shorter and wider seed than long grain rice. A typical red rice plant has an unusually hard grain, which retains its shape after an hour of cooking.

Brown Rice (SE Asia),
Brown Rice similar to White Rice. The only difference between these two varieties is the milling; milling remove both the husk and the bran layer of kernel. Brown rice contains more nutrient than White Rice and very high in fiber and vitamin B.

Basmati ( India)
Basmati Rice is a variety of long grain rice , famous for its fragrance and delicate flavor. Its name means "The Fragrant One" in Hindi, but it can also mean the "Soft Rice." Basmati Rice can only be cultivated in the Indian subcontinent at the Himalayan foothills.

The grains of basmati rice are much longer than they are wide, and they grow even longer as they cook. They stay firm and separate, not sticky, after cooking. Basmati rice is available both as a White rice and a Brown rice. Brown rice takes longer to cook than white, about 30 minutes as opposed to 10. Due to the high amount of starch clinging to the rice grains, many cooks wash this rice before cooking it. Soaking it for half an hour to two hours before cooking makes the grains less likely to break during cooking.

Wild Rice (United States)
Wild rice has been the staple food of the Sioux and Chippewa . Wild rice is not a rice it is a grain. Wild rice are seeds of a water grass. They are long and dark brown with black colorings. Just a wonderful smoky, nutty flavor and chewy in texture. Wild rice from lakes are the best choice as they are far superior than cultivated wild rice. Although, cultivated paddies provide excellent breeding ground for waterfowl and other wildlife.


Arborio Rice ( Italy)
Arborio rice, a pearly-looking, round, fat, Italian white rice, forms the foundation of risotto, the dish. Riso means rice in Italian. Like other rices, Arborio is a member of the grass family. What distinguishes it is a higher than normal amount of soluble starch that is released during cooking. The starch is what makes a risotto creamy.

Arborio rice takes about eighteen minutes to cook. It is done when it is al dente, tender on the outside and firm in the center.



Sushi Rice (Japan)
Sushi rice is white short grain Japanese rice, which has a consistency that differ from other long-grain strains sush as Basmati rice. The essential quality is its stickiness. Rice that is too sticky has a mushy texture. .The most Important technique in the preparation of sushi is how to make sushi rice, that is called 'shari,' 'sushi-meshi,' or 'su-meshi' (vinegar[ed] - [cooked]rice), in its best condition, and that depends on how perfectly mix-up the cooked rice and vinegar-mixture (awase-zu) together deliciously. The taste of sushi greatly depends on the taste of sushi rice. It is often said that the rice part shares as much as 60% of it, according to the opinions of many sushi chefs. The key factor is the 'shari' itself, as well as fish (sashimi) quality.

Simply Delicious...

In response to one of my blogger friends, who has been away from Home Sweet Home,very poor in cooking plus she got to cook for herself hehehe so pity...Now, I got some easy easy but yummy recipes for you and for all...Oh! but there is no picture right now...I am sorry about that, hope you will get some pictures in your mind when you read through the recipes...

Here you go...

First, I shall start with Appetizer

Nhoam Krouch Th'long (Pomelo or grapefruit Salad)

Ingredients
300 gm Pomelo, peeled and separate the segments into pieces
1/2 cup Bacon,boiled and cut into 1/2 cm strip
1/3 cup Dried Shrimp, soaked, drained and pounded
1/3 cup Peanut, roasted and coarsely pounded
1/3 cup Coconut, grated and roasted till golden brown.
1 cup Mint Leaves, cleaned

Dressing
1, 1/2 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Fish Sauce
1 tbsp Lime Juice
1 glove Garlic, finely chopped
1 pc Shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 pc bird eyes chili, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp Ajinomoto if you prefer
In a bowl, mix everything together and stir till the sugar dissolved, keep aside.

Garnish
2 tbsp Fried Shallots

Preparation
In a mixing bowl, add pomelo, bacon, dried shrimp, and pour over the dressing, mix them. then add the peanut, mint leaves, and coconut, toss well. Garnish with Fried shallot and ready to serve.

Tips:
I would suggest you to use the pomelo, which is not too sweet but a bit sour and bitter, will be best for this salad. and for dried shallots, you can find it ready made in most Asian supermarket. For dressing, you can make double quantity or more for next days use, it can be kept in air tight container in a fridge for a week.

Try this recipe with smoked fish (trey cha er) instead of bacon. You also can try this recipe for Green Mango Salad, just use green mango instead of pomelo and use smoked fish instead of bacon, and add more Chi leaves like Chi Barang leaves, Khmer basil leaves. and don't use coconut.

Then Sip the Soup
You like Seafood, Don't ya?

S' ngor Chruok Bangkang ( Sour Lobster Soup with Herbs)

Ingredient
300 gm Lobster, cleaned
4 cup Water
1 stalk Lemon Grass, pounded and cut into 10cm
2 pcs Kafir Lime Leaves
1 tbsp Uncooked Rice
1 tbsp Salt
1 tbsp Fish Sauce
1 tsp Sugar
1/3 cup slices Combo of Saw Leaves(chi Barang), Basil leaves, and spring Onion
Juice of half lime

Preparation
Bring the water to boil in a large pot with uncooked rice and salt, when it bubbles add lemon grass and lime leaves and boil for 5 minutes so the full aroma is released. Then add lobster, either whole or cut into big pieces, and cook for 10-15 minutes, then season with sugar and fish sauce. Just before serving, add the combo of chi leaves and spring onion and lime juice.

Tips:
I would request you if you could do a little more work, just peel off the lobster shell and boil along with water, after 5 minutes then you remove and discard away. for this you will have a better flavor soup.

You can use this recipe with fish and chicken to do Sour Fish Soup and Sour Chicken Soup too. And with chicken you can just add banana blossom, it will be Sour Chicken Soup with herbs and Banana blossom.


Now Main Dishes...

Sach Ko Chha K'Dao ( Stir Fired Beef with Hot Basil, lemon grass and chili)

I hope you can find Chi M'reah Preov in the States, try to find it in Thai super market.

Ingredients
200 gm Beef Tenderloin, thinly sliced
3 cup Hot Basil Leaves,
1 pc Lemon grass, pounded and cut into 10 cm
1 pc Bird Eye Chili
6 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Fish Sauce
1 tsp Sugar
3 tbsp Water, or stock
Oil for cooking

Sliced Red Bell Pepper for garnish

Preparation
Heat large amount of oil in the wok to quickly fry the beef, strain and keep aside for next use. pour oil to a container, use the same wok, heat up a little oil and fry garlic, chili and lemon grass, till the aroma of lemon grass appear, add beef and oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and fish sauce and stir fry to mix for 2 minutes, then add water and hot basil leaves and mix briskly in the sauce. Turn off the heat and serve on the plate and garnish with bell pepper.

Tips:
You don't have to fry beef ahead of time if you don't want to, you can just fry it direct with other ingredients.
You can use the same method with chicken too, use chicken wing or leg, chop with bone.

Are you vegetarian?
In case you may want to lose some weights hehehehe...but you are in the good shape now, seriously.

Chha Khatna Preng Kh' Yorng( Stir Fried Kailan with Oyster Sauce)

This dish is not for real vegetarian as I am using oyster sauce

Ingredient
300 gm Kailan, peeled and sliced
5 cloves Garlic, chopped
3 tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 tbsp soy Sauce
Corn starch diluted with water.

Boiling water for blanching
Oil for cooking

Preparation
Blanch Kailan in boiling water just 30 seconds, remove and drain off water. In a wok heat up the oil and fry garlic till aroma appear then add Kailan, stir to mix, add oyster sauce, soya sauce and stir, then add corn starch diluted with water. Serve immediately.

In case you like it spicy (Khatna Teuk Phnek, Tearing Kailan hehehe) just add some chopped chili togethere with garlic while you fry. Then you will know the meaning of Khatna Teuk Phnek...

You might have to use MSG, Ajinomoto for every dishes as it is commonly use in our home cooking.

Dessert???
Er....nah just simply buy some frozen ice creams and keep in your fridge tov ban hey hehehehe, because I don't think you have time to prepare the dessert, as you are always busy studying and posting your blog hehehehe.

Bon Apertit

Marzipan Babies...

I wish these works were done by me, but since I did not know anything about marzipan, so my wish is not granted hehehehe...

Thought you'd be as fascinated with these as I.

These are made with marzipan....really unbelievable!

While some of the faces may look "crafted" rather than "real", every detail is amazing, and the rest looks VERY real.

Marzipan is a sweet paste made of ground almonds and sugar, often with egg whites or yolks, used as a layer in cakes or molded into ornamental shapes.

This woman is definitely talented.....

Do You Wanna Bet???

An elderly woman walked into the Bank of Canada one morning with a purse full of money. She wanted to open a savings account and insisted on talking to the president of the Bank because, she said, she had a lot of money.

After many lengthy discussions (after all, the client is always right) an employee took the elderly woman to the president's office.

The president of the Bank asked her how much she wanted to deposit. She placed her purse on his desk and replied, "$165,000". The president was curious and asked her how she had been able to save so much money. The elderly woman
replied that she made bets.

The president was surprised and asked,"What kind of bets?"

The elderly woman replied, "Well, I bet you $25,000 that your testicles are square."

The president started to laugh and told the woman that it was impossible to win a bet like that.

The woman never batted an eye. She just looked at the president and said, "Would you like to take my bet?"

"Certainly", replied the president. "I bet you $25,000 that my testicles are not square."

"Done", the elderly woman answered. "But given the amount of money involved, if you don't mind I would like to come back at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning with my lawyer as a witness."

"No problem", said the president of the Bank confidently.

That night, the president became very nervous about the bet and spent a long time in front of the mirror examining his testicles, turning them this way and that, checking them over again and again until he was positive that no one could consider his testicles as square and reassuring himself that there was no way he could lose the bet.

The next morning at exactly 10 o'clock the elderly woman arrived at the president's office with her lawyer and acknowledged the $25,000 bet made the day before that the president's testicles were square.

The president confirmed that the bet was the same as the one made the day before. Then the elderly woman asked him to drop his pants etc. so that she and her lawyer could see clearly.

The president was happy to oblige.

The elderly woman came closer so she could see better and asked the president if she could touch them. "Of course", said the president. "Given the amount of money involved, you should be 100% sure."

The elderly woman did so with a little smile. Suddenly the president noticed that the lawyer was banging his head against the wall. He asked the elderly woman why he was doing that and she replied, "Oh, it's probably because I bet him $100,000 that around 10 o'clock in the morning I would be holding the balls of the President of the Bank of Canada!"