rum – FoodWatcher

Classic Mojito

Finally! I’ve figured out how to make the perfect homemade mojito. Mojitos are bubbly rum cocktails that taste minty-fresh, citrusy and a little sweet. Club soda stretches…

The post Classic Mojito appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

best mojito recipe

Finally! I’ve figured out how to make the perfect homemade mojito. Mojitos are bubbly rum cocktails that taste minty-fresh, citrusy and a little sweet. Club soda stretches out the flavors to create an afternoon-worthy sipper. Mojitos are ultra refreshing on warm days, and I feel like I’m on vacation every time I get my hands on one.

Mojitos originated in Cuba and I hope to taste a real one someday. We enjoyed Cuban-style mojitos in Miami over a long Valentine’s weekend earlier this year. Mojitos happen to be the only cocktail my husband will drink (he’s usually more of a beer and wine guy). I studied the bartenders’ methods while we were there so I could learn how to make them at home.

At Old’s Havana, they lined up highball glasses all the way down the bar, added a generous spoonful of sugar to each, followed by several sprigs of fresh mint (or yerba buena, as they call it). They mixed the mojitos in the glasses by the order, garnishing them with real sugar cane. I swizzled my drink and swayed to the beat of lively Latin string music playing just a few feet away. I honestly don’t know if it was an authentic or manufactured Miami experience, but it was magical nonetheless.

mojito ingredients

Outside of Miami, great mojitos can be hard to come by. Many bars don’t keep fresh mint on hand so they’ll turn down the request, and my own homemade attempts over the years have been lackluster. Now that I’ve studied and practiced my mojito technique, I’m excited to share my mojito recipe with you today!

Turns out, you just need five basic ingredients (mint, lime, sugar, rum and club soda) and a few simple tips to make the best mojito you’ve ever had. You won’t even need a shaker or simple syrup for this classic mojito recipe. Cheers to a long weekend!

Continue to the recipe...

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2-Ingredient Piña Colada Smoothie

Nothing tastes like summer or a day at the beach like a piña colada. Our simple version requires just 2 ingredients: frozen ripe pineapple and coconut milk.
Let us show you how it’s done, plus easy ways to add protein if enjoying as a smoothie, or boo…

Nothing tastes like summer or a day at the beach like a piña colada. Our simple version requires just 2 ingredients: frozen ripe pineapple and coconut milk.

Let us show you how it’s done, plus easy ways to add protein if enjoying as a smoothie, or booze if enjoying as a cocktail.

What Is a Piña Colada?

The piña colada is a frozen blended drink that originated in Puerto Rico.

2-Ingredient Piña Colada Smoothie from Minimalist Baker →

Jungle Bird

The Jungle Bird is a tropical rum cocktail with a twist! Bitter Campari offsets sweet pineapple juice to make a balanced, refreshing mixed drink. Love fruity drinks but want something more complex? Here’s the drink for you: the Jungle Bird! It’s one of the few rum cocktails to pair tropical flavors with an Italian bitter: Campari. You might know Campari from the ubiquitous Negroni: an ultra dry and bitter drink. But add it to a tropical drink and the effect is surprising. Campari perfectly balances the drink and gives the finish an intriguing complexity. In fact, it’s become a favorite around here…and that’s saying something, given our extensive library of cocktails. It hits all the right notes: sweet, tart, fruity, and bitter. What’s a Jungle Bird cocktail? The Jungle Bird is a tropical cocktail made with rum, pineapple juice, and Campari. The story goes that it was invented in 1978 at the Aviary bar of the Kuala Lumpur Hilton. The telltale sign it’s that it’s modern: it fuses the Italian bitter Campari with the tropical flavors. This drink recently surged in popularity, fueled by the Negroni craze. The drink is often garnished with pineapple leaves to mimic the feathers of […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

The Jungle Bird is a tropical rum cocktail with a twist! Bitter Campari offsets sweet pineapple juice to make a balanced, refreshing mixed drink.

Love fruity drinks but want something more complex? Here’s the drink for you: the Jungle Bird! It’s one of the few rum cocktails to pair tropical flavors with an Italian bitter: Campari. You might know Campari from the ubiquitous Negroni: an ultra dry and bitter drink. But add it to a tropical drink and the effect is surprising. Campari perfectly balances the drink and gives the finish an intriguing complexity. In fact, it’s become a favorite around here…and that’s saying something, given our extensive library of cocktails. It hits all the right notes: sweet, tart, fruity, and bitter.

What’s a Jungle Bird cocktail?

The Jungle Bird is a tropical cocktail made with rum, pineapple juice, and Campari. The story goes that it was invented in 1978 at the Aviary bar of the Kuala Lumpur Hilton. The telltale sign it’s that it’s modern: it fuses the Italian bitter Campari with the tropical flavors. This drink recently surged in popularity, fueled by the Negroni craze. The drink is often garnished with pineapple leaves to mimic the feathers of a bird. The ingredients in a Jungle Bird cocktail are:

Dark rum
Pineapple juice
Campari
Lime juice
Simple syrup

Dark rum vs light rum: what’s the difference?

The Jungle Bird uses dark rum: something altogether different than the light rum you’ve got for daiquiris and piña coladas. Here’s a breakdown of the differences:

Dark rum is aged longer than white rum. It has a dark color and a developed flavor with caramel notes.
Light rum or white rum is clear and has a smoother, sweeter flavor than dark rum.

Can you use light rum in a Jungle Bird? Sure. It won’t taste quite the same, but it’s similar. Of course if you’re a purist: go grab a bottle of dark rum!

All about Campari

Campari is an Italian bitter with a bright red color! It’s easy to find, most famously used in the Negroni and other classic cocktails like the Americano and Boulevardier.

What does Campari taste like? It’s tastes bitter, fruity, and spicy all at once. It’s infused with different herbs and fruits, part of a secret recipe. Fun fact: Campari was originally colored so brightly red due to a dye made of crushed insects! That’s no longer in the modern recipe, so it shouldn’t deter you from grabbing a bottle.

How to make a Jungle Bird

It’s quick and easy to make a Jungle Bird once you’ve got all the ingredients on hand! It’s a typical shaken cocktail that you’ll shake in a

Shake in a cocktail shaker. Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake (Don’t have one? Use a mason jar!)
Strain into a glass and garnish. Strain the drink into a lowball glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge. If you happen to have the pineapple leaves on hand, they make a great garnish evocative of bird feathers.

More Campari cocktails

Love Campari? There are so many interesting drinks with this Italian liqueur to try outside of the Negroni. Here are some great Campari cocktails to test out:

Negroni Sbagliato A spin on the classic cocktail using sparkling wine instead of gin. It’s bitter, sweet, and bubbly all at once.
Old Pal Cocktail A three ingredient cocktail that’s sleek and sippable, balancing bitter and sweet with fiery whiskey.
Mezcal Negroni The way the smoke of mezcal balances the bitter Campari makes an even better drink.
Campari Spritz Bitter and bubbly, this cocktail mixes the popular aperativo with sparkling wine and soda water.

When to serve a Jungle Bird

The Jungle Bird is a festive and fun cocktail, great for parties or a laid back evening! It’s great as a:

Summer drink
Signature drink
Cocktail hour drink
Party drink
Happy hour drink
Dinner party drink

Jungle Bird Cocktail (with Campari!)

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Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 drink
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

The Jungle Bird is a tropical rum cocktail with a twist! Bitter Campari offsets sweet pineapple juice to make a balanced, refreshing mixed drink.

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) dark rum
1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) pineapple juice
3/4 to 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Campari (to taste)
1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) lime juice
1/2 ounce (1 tablespoon) simple syrup or maple syrup
For the garnish: Pineapple wedge, pineapple leaves (optional)

Instructions

Add the dark rum, pineapple juice, Campari, lime juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker and fill it with ice. Shake vigorously until cold.
Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge, pineapple leaves, or fresh mint.

Category: Drink
Method: Cocktails
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Jungle Bird, Rum cocktail

More rum drinks

Love mixed drinks with rum? Here are a few more to add to your repertoire:

Classic Mojito This iconic Cuban cocktail is refreshing and just sweet enough.
Piña Colada Takes only 5 ingredients and 5 minutes and has incredible flavor.
Classic Daiquiri One of the most classic cocktails! The perfect balance of boozy, tart and sweet.
Hemingway Daiquiri An intriguing spin on the classic: grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur compliment lime and rum perfectly.
Strawberry Daiquiri or Lime Frozen Daiquiri Fresh spins on the 1990’s frozen daiquiri craze.

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

Salted Mojito Watermelon Wedges.

The hottest days of the year are here and so are mojito watermelon wedges! Just in time! I’m back with one more embarrassingly easy recipe for you before the 4th! I know we already discussed sheet pan s’mores, but if you haven’t soaked your watermelon wedges in mojito syrup yet, are you really living? No. […]

The post Salted Mojito Watermelon Wedges. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

The hottest days of the year are here and so are mojito watermelon wedges!

salted mojito watermelon wedges

Just in time!

pouring mojito syrup on watermelon

I’m back with one more embarrassingly easy recipe for you before the 4th! I know we already discussed sheet pan s’mores, but if you haven’t soaked your watermelon wedges in mojito syrup yet, are you really living?

No. I think not.

And wait! Just and FYI that you don’t really NEED the rum for this recipe to be so refreshing and incredible. Leave it out if you don’t drink or want to make this for the kids. It’s still just as good because it’s loaded with fresh mint and lime!

watermelon soaking in mojito syrup

Here’s how it goes down.

Slice your watermelon into triangles. Well, honestly? Slice the watermelon however you want! However is easiest for you. You could do cubes or even melon balls. I’m doing wedges because right now at this moment in my life I find them the cutest.

That is what 2020 has turned into… me deciding that watermelon wedges are cute.

salted mojito watermelon wedges

You’re also going to make a quick mojito syrup. This is just water, lime juice, maybe rum, sugar, lime zest and fresh mint. All simmered together and then poured over the watermelon.

YES.

We’re going to soak the watermelon in the mojito syrup. Throw a sheet pan in the fridge and let the watermelon hang out in the syrup.

Honestly can’t even tell you right now how much I’d like to be a wedge of watermelon just relaxing on a platter of mojito syrup.

Sounds heavenly.

I’ve seen people soak watermelon wedges in tequila before (I mean, OMG, yes please) so I figured the mojito flavor would be a huge winner. And it totally is!

These are SO good on a hot summer day. They are cold and fresh with hints of lime and mint. And easy! And cute. Of course.

salted mojito watermelon wedges

Watermelon Mojito Wedges

These mojito watermelon wedges are soaked in a fresh mint and lime syrup then sprinkled with flaked sea salt. They are so refreshing!

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Resting Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings to 16 wedges

Author How Sweet Eats

Ingredients

1 small seedless watermelon, cut into wedges (12 to 16 wedges)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
¼ cup white rum, optional, leave out/replace with water to make kid friendly
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 big handful of fresh mint
2 limes, zest freshly grated
flaked sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

Cut the watermelon into wedges and place it on two baking sheets in a single layer.
Place the water, sugar, lime juice, rum, mint and the zest of 1 lime in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking so the sugar dissolves. Cook until just simmering then remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Pour the mixture evenly over the watermelon in the baking sheet. Move the watermelon wedges around so they are submerged in the syrup, then flip them.
Refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. I like to flip the watermelon once while it’s in the fridge.
Remove the watermelon from the syrup and place it on a platter. Sprinkle on the remaining lime zest. Sprinkle on a bit of flaked salt and serve!
As a note, you can do this on an as-needed basis. Just use a few slices of watermelon and pour some of the syrup over top, storing the rest in the fridge until ready to use.

salted mojito watermelon wedges

Tastes like summmmmer.

The post Salted Mojito Watermelon Wedges. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

El Presidente cocktail

Note: I’ll be making this cocktail today at 6pm CET (Noon ET, 9am PT) on my IG Live Apéro Hour on Instagram. To watch, head to my profile on my IG profile page at that time, and when the circle around my profile pic says “Live” – click on it to tune in. And on Tuesday, May 26th, my guest will be Pierre-Olivier Rousseaux, owner…

Note: I’ll be making this cocktail today at 6pm CET (Noon ET, 9am PT) on my IG Live Apéro Hour on Instagram. To watch, head to my profile on my IG profile page at that time, and when the circle around my profile pic says “Live” – click on it to tune in. And on Tuesday, May 26th, my guest will be Pierre-Olivier Rousseaux, owner of Dolin vermouth, who will explain how vermouth is made, how to use and store it, and answer your other questions. More info, as well as how to watch it in replay in my IGTV channel archives, is here.

People sometimes pick up vermouth blanc, called bianco vermouth in Italian, and don’t realize until the open the bottle that the vermouth is sweet, when they thought they were buying dry vermouth. Don’t worry if it happened to you; it happened to a friend one mine too, who happens to be a notable spirits writer. On the upside, you’ve now got one of the principal ingredients for one of my new favorite cocktails, the El Presidente.

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Bananas Foster Banana Bread

Banana bread meets classic Bananas Foster in this mouth-watering mashup. Made with caramelized sugar and bananas and a splash of dark rum, it’s a tantalizing twist you’ll simply adore. While it might look like a normal loaf of banana bread, this loaf features something extra special: a rich caramelized banana base and a glug or […]

Banana bread meets classic Bananas Foster in this mouth-watering mashup. Made with caramelized sugar and bananas and a splash of dark rum, it’s a tantalizing twist you’ll simply adore.

While it might look like a normal loaf of banana bread, this loaf features something extra special: a rich caramelized banana base and a glug or two of dark rum.

Sliced Bananas Foster Banana Bread with knife and pecans and a glass of milk

I am, apparently, in a breakfast-baked-goods sort of mood. I’m not craving cookies or cakes or brownies; no, all I’ve wanted to bake these last few weeks are muffins, coffee cakes, and, obviously banana bread.

Clearly I’m not alone in this last craving… as evidenced by the fact that Instagram is basically 32% banana bread these days.

I can’t quite explain it. Maybe it’s the fact that none of us can get to the store as often to replenish our fresh bananas, so when we do get out, we buy two bunches instead of one, without quite realizing that, no matter how green they were when we bought them, we can’t feasibly eat two bunches before they start to get spotty.

That’s actually good news, though, because, when it comes to banana bread, the spottier the bananas, the better. In fact, I’d argue that yellow bananas with black spots aren’t quite ripe enough—rather, the bananas should be the opposite: black with yellow spots—that’s when you know they’re perfect for banana bread.

Pro tip: if you find yourself with more than 2 or 3 spotty bananas at once, they freeze beautifully. Just peel, place in a labeled zip-top bag, and freeze for up to 6 months. And next time the banana bread (or banana muffins or banana cake) craving hits, all you need to do is let them defrost for about an hour or so, until they are soft (but not runny; drain of any excess liquid if there is any), and then mash them into your favorite banana bread recipe (which, if I have anything to do with it, will be this one).

Slice of Bananas Foster Banana Bread on a plate with a bowl of chopped pecans and a glass of milk.

So what makes this banana bread different from every other recipe out there?

Caramelizing together the brown sugar, butter, and banana beforehand gives this banana bread and extra special depth of flavor, and superb moistness that lasts for days. While you might not notice a difference just tasting it, I’m sure if you compared it to a loaf made in the standard way, you’d definitely notice a difference.

The process does take a bit longer than your standard banana bread, since the caramel mixture needs time to cool otherwise it’d scramble the eggs on contact (I don’t think I need to tell you that that would be no bueno). It’s not any harder than basic banana bread as any extra time involved is entirely inactive (is it a coincidence that 45 minutes is the exact length of an episode of Outlander? I think not.)

(more…)

Daiquiri Cocktail

[Note: Today’s guest on my Apéro Hour on IG Live will be distiller and founder of Pierre Ferrand cognac, Citadelle gin and Plantation rum, Alexandre Gabriel. Tune in April 22 at 6pm CET, Noon ET and 9am PT. Visit here for instructions on how to watch live. Because this will be a split-screen video, you can only watch it in replay in my Instagram Stories…

Since the confinement started, I’ve been doing a daily Apéro Hour on Instagram Live, archiving some of the episodes on my IGTV channel. Since I’ve never been able to get a tv show of my own, I decided just to do my own. (What could go wrong? And even so, what happens during confinement, stays in confinement. Right?) And when you’re the boss…and the producer, talent booker, presenter, cameraman, mixologist, and dishwasher…you get to call the shots. So I did, and invited some of my favorite bartenders, cocktail writers, and spirit-makers to come and talk about what they do.

Due to quirk in the platform, split-screen interviews can’t be archived (so I don’t get to call all the shots…) but it’s been really fun having people on that you might not normally get to meet, like my friend Mat who distills brandy and gin in Burgundy, Margot who owns Combat, a great cocktail bar in Paris, David from Belleville Brûlerie who showed us how to make the perfect café crème with a moka pot, and Alexandre Gabriel, who not only distills cognac and Citadelle gin, but also owns Plantation rum.

Continue Reading Daiquiri Cocktail...

Traditional Eggnog Recipe

This easy, old-fashioned eggnog recipe is made with cooked eggs, rum, whiskey, vanilla, sugar, and cream. A guaranteed hit at every holiday get-together!

The post Traditional Eggnog Recipe appeared first on Brown Eyed Baker.

This easy, old-fashioned eggnog recipe is made with cooked eggs (which means it’s safe to drink!), rum, whiskey, vanilla, sugar, and cream. The classic Christmas cocktail is a guaranteed hit at every holiday get-together and only takes 15 minutes to prepare, so bust out your favorite Christmas sweater and get your punch bowl ready!

Two glasses half-filled with eggnog and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

I cannot think about eggnog without the vision of Clark Griswold plunging his reindeer mug into a vat of eggnog in the movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation dashing through my head. Such an iconic movie and one I’ve seen countless times.

Many, many years ago, I decided that I needed to make some honest-to-goodness, homemade eggnog that was properly spiked while still being creamy and delicious. It ticked off all three of those boxes, and I couldn’t wait to incorporate it into our holiday festivities.

I’ve made a lot of recipes that use eggnog since then, and it’s definitely worth showcasing the star itself; homemade eggnog is a festive addition to any holiday party and easier to make than you’d think.

An overhead shot of a glass of eggnog with a sprinkle of nutmeg on top.

Let’s Make Eggnog From Scratch!

The base of this homemade eggnog is actually started in much the same way as an ice cream custard, with the exception that whole eggs are used here, while only egg yolks are typically used for ice cream. The egg, sugar and cream mixture is cooked over low heat until thickened, then strained to keep it super smooth, and once allowed to cool a bit, the rum, whiskey, and vanilla are added.

Finally, a little more heavy cream is beat to soft peaks and folded into the eggnog mixture to lighten it up and make it ultra-creamy. Add a sprinkle of nutmeg, and it’s ready!

A series of three photos showing the custard base of eggnog.

A photo collage of making eggnog.

Egg-cellent Eggnog Tips

Get ready to be the hit of your party when you serve up this homemade eggnog; below are a few tips to make it juuuuuust right…

This eggnog is definitely strong; if you prefer it less boozy, you can cut back on the alcohol.
If you want to make this completely non-alcoholic, you can simply omit the alcohol.
Rum – I like dark rum in eggnog (Myers’s is what I usually buy), but spiced rum would also be fabulous.
Whiskey – I typically use Crown Royal, but use what you like or keep on hand.
Other Alcohol – You can switch up the ratios based on your personal preferences; feel free to swap in others like bourbon, Cognac, scotch, or brandy, as well. And how about a little peppermint schnapps for a festive flavor?!
Make-Ahead – This eggnog can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 3 days (great for preparing for a party!). Be sure to whisk well before serving.

Three glasses of eggnog with a cinnamon stick and a bowl of grated nutmeg.

Traditional Eggnog Recipe

This easy, old-fashioned eggnog recipe is made with cooked eggs, rum, whiskey, vanilla, sugar, and cream. The classic Christmas cocktail is a guaranteed hit at every holiday get-together!

3½ cups heavy cream (divided)
6 eggs
1½ cups granulated sugar
Pinch kosher salt
¼ cup dark rum
½ cup whiskey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (plus more for garnish)

In a large saucepan, heat 2½ cups of the cream over medium-low heat until it begins to simmer around the edges of the pan (do not let it boil).
While the cream is heating, whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Ladle out 1 cup of the warm cream mixture and slowly pour it into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Scrape all of the egg mixture into the saucepan. Continue to cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula, a few minutes. The mixture should register 160 to 165 degrees F on an instant-read digital thermometer.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and allow to cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the rum, whiskey, vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of the freshly grated nutmeg.
Whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the eggnog mixture, making sure the whipped cream is completely incorporated. Serve immediately, topping each serving with a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg. The eggnog can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Be sure to gently whisk before serving.

This eggnog is definitely strong; if you prefer it less boozy, you can cut back on the alcohol.
If you want to make this completely non-alcoholic, you can simply omit the alcohol.
Rum – I like dark rum in eggnog (Myers’s is what I usually buy), but spiced rum would also be fabulous.
Whiskey – I typically use Crown Royal, but use what you like or keep on hand.
Other Alcohol – You can switch up the ratios based on your personal preferences; feel free to swap in others like bourbon, Cognac, scotch, or brandy, as well. And how about a little peppermint schnapps for a festive flavor?!
Make-Ahead – This eggnog can be prepared and refrigerated for up to 3 days (great for preparing for a party!). Be sure to whisk well before serving.

Nutritional values are based on one 4-ounce drink.

Recipe from The Pastry Queen Christmas

Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in December 2013; updated in December 2019 with new photos and extra recipe tips.

[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]

The post Traditional Eggnog Recipe appeared first on Brown Eyed Baker.

Milk punch

Last spring, my friends and I sat on the porch at Mattie’s in Austin. We shared a fried chicken dinner and enjoyed the…
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Last spring, my friends and I sat on the porch at Mattie’s in Austin. We shared a fried chicken dinner and enjoyed the…

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Rum Balls

Vanilla cookie crumbs, cocoa and spiced rum combine to create these festive holiday treats.

The post Rum Balls appeared first on My Baking Addiction.

Comments

Allison- You are so welcome! Thanks for stopping by and Happy … by Jamie
These look fantastic! I’m making them today for Christmas. … by Allison
You won’t get drunk from eating these cookies. The rum gives … by Sherri
Thanks so much! I’ll have to give the healthy version a try … by Jamie
Love your recipe! I’ve tried Cheerios instead of Nilla Wafers … by SeaSea
Plus 5 more…

Rum Balls are a classic holiday treat. Boozy, chocolatey and rich, store these beauties in the refrigerator for several days for an even better flavor!