Let the countdown begin – it’s time to go back to school! It’s time for fresh haircuts, first-day jitters, school buses and classrooms filled with new friends, and that oh-so-important first-day outfit.
Whether you’re a student, teacher, or parent, there’s no denying that Back-to-School season can be a bit overwhelming but with the right cocktail, you can take the edge off and enjoy the moment.
So, in the spirit of Back-to-School, I believe a lesson is in order. A quick lesson… on the history of rum. Grab a glass and take your seats as Miss. Mixer takes you back to the American Revolution!
During the 17th century, the Caribbean West Indies was THE powerhouse location for production. The exports of spices, alcohol, sugar, and cotton made the European empires go around. Not bad for just over a million square miles of land spread over 7,000 tiny islands.
As the sugar cane was crushed and the juices were boiled to make sugar, there was one main industrial waste – molasses. It is believed that the enslaved plantation workers realized that within molasses, there was just enough sugar to attract yeast. And so, they set about fermenting and distilling it into alcohol. Rum was born then and there. More money. More profits. More injustices.
When the Americans started producing cheaper rum from molasses purchased from the French and cutting into the British monopoly on the very profitable rum export, the British were not too happy and passed the Sugar Act in 1764. Contributing to the events of the American Revolution. In fact, upon his inauguration, George Washington himself ordered a barrel of the finest Barbados Rum. The sweet taste of victory indeed. And you thought the Boston Tea Party was about tea!? Pish!
We give this recipe an A+ and hope you will too!
INGREDIENTS
- 1-ounce Spiced Rum
- 4 ounces Apple Cider
- Ginger Ale Top Off
- Lime Wedges
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add ice to a highball glass
- Add spiced rum
- Add apple cider
- Top off with ginger ale
- Garnish with lime wedge
Class dismissed!