Grenada Beaches» rivers rum http://www.grenada-beaches.com Grenada Vacation Made Simple Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:09:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Grenadian Throw Down in Washington DC http://www.grenada-beaches.com/food-and-drink/grenadian-throw-down-in-washington-dc/ http://www.grenada-beaches.com/food-and-drink/grenadian-throw-down-in-washington-dc/#comments Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:39:43 +0000 Gooch http://blog.grenada-beaches.com/?p=114

Who said you had to be in Grenada to eat good Grenadian cooking? A group of us from the Maryland/Washington DC area decided to “Throw Down” some Grenadian food last weekend. And with a typical Grenadian hospitality, we invited our other Caribbean and US friends to come eat us out.

grenadian food

The Name says it all

All I will tell you is that it was a big hit. Food Galore!!

  • Oildown -  Grenada’s national dish.  We had two pots: one for the meat eaters, and one for the rest of us. I commissioned the Oildown but that’s as much credit as I can take for it. All the praise for this delicious pot goes to the Iron Chef Willy a.k.a Rookie.
  • Callaloo Soup – this local favorite came compliments of Katina,  Michelle & Graeme
  • Fish Broth – A Grenadian Cookout is just not the same without some “Seafood Waters” , so we decide to go for extra credit and do not one, but two pots of Fish Broth: one with Red Snapper, and the other with Tuna … that was a Che and Graeme production.
  • Pelau – Nothing like a good Pelau. Michelle I need that recipe.
  • Curry Goat -from the Iron Chef again.
Graham, with Hosts Che & Michelle

Graeme, with Hosts Che & Michelle

But wait… THERE’S MORE:

  • Salt fish and Fig – Michelle again.
  • Baked Whole Salmon – prepared Grenadian style, by a Grenadian living in Baltimore
  • Baked fillet Salmon – As if the whole Salmon was not enough, my sister Gwen showed up with even more Salmon
  • BBQ chicken – My other sibling Hazel took no chances and decided to walk with her favorite meat
  • Corn Soup – Che knows this is good for any occasion, but he also know it’s very appealing after a long night of drinking
  • Mango Chow – Since Michelle found a recipe for this, no function she hosts is ever without it. It’s a good healthy, tasting snack

And on top of all that, the other guests did not come empty handed. Who didn’t bring drinks brought some other Caribbean dish, or desert, as I said before Food Galore!!

Oildwon Grenada's National Dish

Oildown Grenada's National Dish (My plate)

Grenadian Recipes just for You

Now I know some of you have never heard about some of the dishes above. Don’t worry. To better acquaint you with Grenadian Cuisine, I will post the recipe for some of these in the coming week(s). And if you’re not brave enough to try the Grenadian recipes at home, then you’ll just have to wait until you Go to Grenada, to get the real deal.

Great food, fun friends, and sweet island music. The session was swinging from start to finish.

  • Them Trinbagonians beat their Iron all night
  • A Jamaican old timer and a Grenadian got in an argument about which island has the strongest rum. This time it was Wray and Nephew vs. Grenada’s Best.
  • A Grenville man and a St. George’s man argued over Rivers Rum and Clarkes Court. ( See what I wrote about Grenada’s Clarkes Court Rum here)
  • Them GBSS and PBC boys trash talk about high school life, and reminisce about the old days…
  • And of course with elections high in the air lots of rum shop politics talk.

Big Thank You

At the risk of sounding like Sarah Palin, I’ll like to give a “Big Shoutout” to our gracious hosts  Michelle (My Fav Cuz) and her husband Che. And another “Big Shoutout” to all the Master Chefs, and the entire party crew, we definitely doing this again (right Michelle?)… as they say when it’s nice you gotta do it twice (at least).

More Pictures from the Grenadian Food Throw Down




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]]> http://www.grenada-beaches.com/food-and-drink/grenadian-throw-down-in-washington-dc/feed/ 20 Go Beyond Bacardi Try Clarkes Court Instead http://www.grenada-beaches.com/food-and-drink/clarkes-court-rum/ http://www.grenada-beaches.com/food-and-drink/clarkes-court-rum/#comments Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:53:32 +0000 Gooch http://blog.grenada-beaches.com/?p=84

Grenada’s most popular rum is Clarkes Court Pure White Rum, and it’s also Grenada’s strongest rum. It’s so strong that:

  • It will make hair grow on your chest
  • It will strip the paint off your car,
  • And if you’re lucky you might even run on your car on Clarkes Court Rum.
Clarks Court Rum Grenada

Clarks Court Rum Grenada

Okay, okay, I’m only kidding. But on a serious note this rum is definitely NOT for the faint of heart. The bottle label says its 69% Alcohol by Volume, and 138 Proof!!!

In my humble opinion … That’s a damn lie !!!

Over many years I’ve watched Clarkes Court reap hovoc on both the uninitiated, and seasoned rum drinker. More havoc than even the venerable Mr. Bacardi 151 can ever claim.

To be frank, Bacardi 151 is a paper tiger compared to Clarkes Court… just look at the carnage Clarkes Court leaves in its wake compared to Bacardi, and you will agree.

So don’t believe what you read on the Clarkes Court bottle, this rum is much much stronger.


Stronger than Rivers Rum?
Ah yes good old Rivers Rum from River Antoine… you can smell it from a 10 miles away. Well this rum is some brutal stuff, and it’s taken down many a good man. It’s 75% Alc. Vol. So again on paper it is supposed to be stronger than Clarkes Court…

Personally I think the Clarkes Court will take you to the point of no return faster than Rivers. That’s a great debate that’s been waging for years in Grenada. All I can say is that Rivers Rum lovers will tell you they wake up next day feeling strong… No Headaches!! I’m afraid Clarkes Court drinkers can’t make the same claim.

Rum and Coke, No Shots Please
Uncle Clark is best enjoyed with Coke, and it’s superb in any tropical cocktail that calls for rum. But stop at any rum shop in Grenada and you are sure to see an old timer or two taking shots. These guys must carry a spare liver in their back pockets.

My advice: Don’t do Shots!! But if you must do it, then practice at home first, we don’t want you to end up like this poor guy:

He had Way Too Much

He had Way Too Much

So Guys if your preferred liquor of choice is rum, then make sure you request Clarkes Court Rum for your Rum and Cokes and cocktails. Ladies I recommend a Clarkes Court Rum Punch.

A Pharmacy in a Bottle?
Clarkes Court also has some medicinal uses. The old folks use it as a topical rub for joint pain, I guess it’s all that heat it generates. And I can attest that a mixture of Clarkes Court, Honey and Lime will clear up, or relieve any sore throat, or chest cold.

Stock ‘em Up
Don’t forget to grab a couple bottles to take back home with you. It’s refreshing in the hot summer and soothing in the bitter winter.

Actually when you say Clarkes Court to any Grenadian they immediately think about “The Pure White Rum”, but there are at least 7 different Rums under the Clarkes Court Brand. Dark rum, white rum, aged rum, strong rum, light rum, you name it you can find it so go knock yourself out.

Find out more about Clarkes Court at Grenada Sugar Factory

]]> http://www.grenada-beaches.com/food-and-drink/clarkes-court-rum/feed/ 0 River Antoine Rivers Rum http://www.grenada-beaches.com/food-and-drink/river-antoine-rivers-rum/ http://www.grenada-beaches.com/food-and-drink/river-antoine-rivers-rum/#comments Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:24:00 +0000 Gooch http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/uncategorized/river-antoine-rivers-rum/

River Antoine Estate … The home of Rivers Rum

Rivers Rum is arguably the strongest and finest white rum you will find anywhere in the Caribbean. I cannot say it definitely is, because it depends on which Grenadian you ask.

They all will agree that Grenada produces the strongest white rum. But the debate rages on over whether Rivers Rum in the north, is superior to Clarkes Court Rum in the south. And that can make for a healthy rum shop argument.

On One of my island tour I decided to drop by to see the good folks at River Antoine Estate the makers Rivers Rum. For a few bucks we got a guided tour of the entire rum making operation.

The key thing that distinguishes Rivers Rum from the rest is that the rum is still made almost the same way the original owners made it over 200 years ago.

Central to that process is the Water Wheel. Water from River Antoine is channeled, and used to turn the wheel, which generates the power to press the juice out of the sugar cane, and kick off the rum making. river antoine home of rivers rum

Here is Ryian, with the water wheel pictured in the background.
The entire process from the raw sugar cane to the final bottled product is quite fasinating. And I can guarantee that you won’t look at your Rum Punch, or Rum and Coke the same way after taking the tour.

Did you know? Or even consider …
rivers rum at river antoine estate

How do you go from this ugly stuff?…
rivers rum at river antoine estate

To this .

That one always impresses the heck out of me. And I’m so grateful … I mean can you imagine what life in the rum shop would be like, if we had to drink that brown stuff?

Well the good folks at River Antoine Estate have been turning the nasty looking brown stuff, into crystal clear perfection for over 200 years.

And on the tour to see just how it’s done. This is my second visit to River Antoine Estate. On each visit we got guides that were very knowledgeable about the Rivers Rum making process (no surprise here). On this our last visit, our guide was Patsy …
rivers rum at river antoine estate And of course my little traveling buddy Ryian, just had to have another shot to add to her collection.

Here’s Ryian and Patsy, with the cooling tanks pictured in the background.
The best part of the tour of course is the rum tasting …
rivers rum at river antoine estate
And after tasting you get the opportunity to take home a couple bottles at factory price.

Rivers Rum comes in two different sizes, and two different proofs. There is a 40% alc, 80% proof which is less strong, and suitable for traveling. And then there is bad boy, not for the faint of heart … and the only guarantee here is that it won’t be below 75% alc or 152 proof.

If you like good natural white rum like I do. Then make a stop at River Antoine Estate, the home of Rivers Rum a Must Stop.

And if you make it this far north, be sure to also check out Lake Antoine it’s only 5 minutes away. It is the source of the River Antoine, that feeds the channel, that turns the wheel, that crushes the cane, that makes Rivers Rum, which we all love so much.

Return from River Antoine Rivers Rum to Sunshine Tours in Grenada

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