Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Marking Colonies with Swizzles

It's hot outside and you can only drink so many baybreezes and pina coladas before you need a new fun summer drink. How about an old 18th century one?

Rum Swizzle
1 shot of dark rum (although 2 of malibu rum couldn't hurt anyone)
1 ounce lime juice
1 ounce orange juice
A splash of falernum

Shake with ice in martini shaker or blend and pour into your most 18th century-looking glassware. Garnish with lime or orange slice and cherry.

Yum yum! The swizzle is Bermuda's national drink (there are national drinks??) and if you have the great fortune of visiting the island paradise your trip cannot be complete without visiting the Swizzle Inn which is an adorable little pub that specializes in, you guessed it, swizzles.

Funnily enough the swizzle seems to colonize as well as the British Empire. In 1760 the people of Fort Ticonderoga were guzzling down swizzles in between battles of the French and Indian War. Later, in the following century, the swizzle appeared in various islands such as Saint Kitts, Barbados, Saint Thomas, and the Virgin Islands. Of course, the drink was also being enjoyed in England at the time as well, but one can only imagine the variety of ways the drink was prepared over time and borders.

So now that you have your new summer drink I will will leave with the parting words that are the Swizzle Inn's motto: "Swizzle Inn, swagger out!"

7 comments:

  1. i have made many trips to the swizzle inn and will be enjoying a nice rum swizzle the end of august for my birthday!

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  2. The swizzle could very well be an upmarket version of the old West Indies' favorite, planters punch, which is traditionally one part citrus juice (usually lime), two parts sugar, three parts rum and four parts water.

    Enjoyed by luminaries and rogues from William Kidd to Ben Franklin, it was all the rage in the colonies for over 100 years.

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  3. You had me till the Falernum. I'm sorry to say I cannot stand almonds and it does have a bit of almond flavor. *sigh*

    Guess I'll just have to drink the rum. :D

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  4. I guess if you were in the middle of a battle rum sounded like a really good idea!

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  5. Ooo, national drinks, definitely a "trip" around the world we want to do in less than 80. :)

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  6. A new apt answer for Captain Jack Sparrow's perennial "Why is the rum gone?!" - "It's in my swizzle!" =D

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