Rum

My Favorite Tom & Jerry Recipe

December 19, 2017 by Natalie 1 Comment

A Tom & Jerry is a classic winter beverage that every cocktail drinker should try at some point. It’s a sweet, frothy, warm drink that is flavored with dark rum and cognac and it has been a holiday favorite since the 1820s. There’s just one thing: the Tom & Jerry is not the easiest drink to make, but it is worth it. I’m showing you how to make my favorite Tom & Jerry recipe just in time for Christmas.

The Tom & Jerry is a descendant of eggnog but not eggnog. The main difference is that the Tom & Jerry is served warm and the drink is built in the serving mug. Eggnog, on the other hand, is cold and already mixed and ready to drink. The Tom & Jerry is, however, a fantastic alternative to Eggnog and many drinkers prefer it because it is more of a warm milk punch and has less of an ‘eggy’ flavor. First, I’ll show you how to prepare the batter then how to assemble the drink.

Tom & Jerry batter, serves 12

6 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 stick of butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp. allspice, ground
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp. cloves, ground
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Separate the egg whites from yolks into two large bowls. Add butter and sugar to egg yolks and beat with an electric stand mixer. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold egg whites into yolk mixture until color and consistency are the same.To finish the batter, stir in allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla.

Tom & Jerry, serves 1

1 oz. cognac

1 oz. dark rum

1 tbsp. Tom & Jerry batter

warm milk

nutmeg, for garnish

The hard part is over and now we can make our cocktail. To assemble Tom and Jerrys, gently heat milk in a saucepan over low heat (amount depends on how many drinks you plan to serve). For two servings I heated 1 cup of milk. This will also depend on the size of your serving vessels. While constantly stirring batter, add brandy and rum. Fill to the top with milk and stir until foamy.

Grate fresh nutmeg on top for garnish. Sip and enjoy!

The Tom & Jerry is much like making a Hot Buttered Rum. It all begins with mixing the spiced batter, which can be refrigerated or frozen until it’s time for a drink. Once that is done, it’s as simple as pouring warm milk over your liquor and batter. It’s a fabulous way to have a tasty hot cocktail ready for holiday visitors and parties.

You can also serve this in a Tom & Jerry punch set. My glasses are a part of a vintage set but I opted not to shoot a whole bowl or else I would have been drunk on a Monday afternoon. Not a terrible thing right? But really bad for productivity. I’m so happy I got to share my favorite Tom & Jerry recipe with you in time for the holidays. It’s the perfect drink to make for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, or New Year’s Day. Please chime in on the comments if you decide to make this and let me know how it turns out! Cheers everyone and don’t forget to eat, drink, and be merry! xo

Pumpkin Butter Flip

November 8, 2017 by Natalie 8 Comments

Halloween might be over but we have until Thanksgiving to capitalize on all things pumpkin flavor. Recently I did an apple cider + pumpkin butter cocktail for my farmers market cocktail column on Chicpeajc and I thought why not use pumpkin butter in another drink? I came up with this Pumpkin Butter Flip to bring you a seasonal and creamy dessert cocktail. It’s so good it might rival pumpkin pie for dessert at your Thanksgiving dinner table.

A flip is a category of mixed drink. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term was first used in 1695 to describe a mixture of beer, rum, and sugar, heated with a red-hot iron. The iron caused the drink to froth, and this frothing (or “flipping”) engendered the name. Over time, eggs were added and the proportion of sugar increased, the beer was eliminated, and the drink ceased to be served hot.

The first bar guide to feature a flip (and to add eggs to the list of ingredients) was Jerry Thomas‘s 1862 How to Mix Drinks; or, The Bon-Vivant’s Companion. In this work, Thomas declares that “The essential in flips of all sorts is to produce the smoothness by repeated pouring back and forward between two vessels and beating up the eggs well in the first instance the sweetening and spices according to taste.”

With time, the distinction between eggnog (a spirit, egg, cream, sugar, and spice) and a flip (a spirit, egg, sugar, spice, but no cream) was gradually classified in America’s bar guides. In recent decades, bar guides have begun to indicate the presence of cream in a flip as optional.

Personally, I love a flip with a little cream in it. It mixes with the egg so well while adding a smooth and silky texture to the drink. Also, it tastes delicious!

Pumpkin Butter Flip

1 1/2 oz. spiced rum

1/2 oz. Faretti biscotti liqueur or amaretto

1/2 oz. fall spice syrup

1/2 oz. heavy cream

1 heaping barspoon pumpkin butter

1 whole egg

pumpkin baking spice mix for garnish

In the larger side of your cocktail shaker add the whole egg and cream. Add the rest of your ingredients to the smaller side of your tin, pour into the large side and seal. Dry shake, add ice and shake again long and hard. Pour into a coupe glass and garnish with a dusting of pumpkin baking spice. Sip and enjoy!

I used my fall syrup in this cocktail and linked to the recipe above. You can also sub it out for regular demerara or simple syrup. I had it on hand and the flavors went so well with the drink it was a no-brainer to use it. The spiced rum contributes to the baking spice flavors of this Pumpkin Butter Flip but you can also use aged rum or even bourbon.

If you’ve never had Faretti Biscotti liqueur you are in for a treat. I use this in replace of amaretto all the time in cocktails. It’s sweet and delicate with hints of nuts, citrus, and anise. The liqueur is made in Northern Italy, near Lake Como, where delicious biscotti cookies are baked in rustic brick ovens. It goes great in coffee or as a little aperitif after dinner as well.

I love that this Pumpkin Butter Flip is reminiscent of eggnog but appropriate for the Fall and Thanksgiving. What will you be making for Thanksgiving dinner or dessert? This cocktail is definitely worth a try and consideration for your holiday menu. Cheers everyone! xo

Frozen Cantaloupe Daiquiri

August 26, 2017 by Natalie Leave a Comment

With the end of Summer just a month away I had an itch to make a frozen drink. What’s more fun than a frozen drink? Drinking one out of fruit, right? I have drunk many piña coladas out of a pineapple and was trying to brainstorm what other fruits I could possibly turn into a serving vessel. Watermelon has had its fair share of the spotlight this summer with being the perfect addition and vessel for frosé. While I was perusing the produce at my local market last week I spotted a cantaloupe and I knew this fruit was THE ONE. When perfectly ripe it is juicy, sweet and has a floral aroma which sounds perfect to pair with rum. My mind went directly to the daiquiri which is a classic and simple drink but can be completely transformed with the addition of some fresh fruit. So I present to you a Frozen Cantaloupe Daiquiri!

Frozen Cantaloupe Daiquiri, serves 1

1 1/2 oz. rum (I used Plantation Dark)

3/4 oz. rich simple syrup (cane or demerara sugar)

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

1 cup of fresh cantaloupe

Cut your cantaloupe evenly into two and scoop out the seeds in center. Carefully scoop out the insides of the fruit and reserve the shells as your serving vessels. You can freeze the shells and the fruit beforehand. Using frozen fruit in drinks or smoothie bowls yields a better and more slushy consistency.

Add all your ingredients to your blender pitcher and blend with a cup of ice. Pour into a cantaloupe shell and garnish with a mint spring and a slice of lime.

This Frozen Cantaloupe Daiquiri is super fruity, refreshing, and so simple to make. I used dark rum in this cocktail because I thought the flavors would mesh well with the richness of the demerara simple syrup and floral aromas of the cantaloupe. Frozen recipes sometimes need to be reworked because of how much water content they have. I like to cut the citrus in half and up the sugar to compensate for all the dilution. Using a richer sugar for your simple syrup, like demerara or cane, instead of plain white sugar also helps to combat an over diluted and tasteless frozen drink. I hope these tips help you next time you’re making frozen daiquiris at home. I’m super excited about how this frozen drink in a fruit cup turned out. I hope you try this recipe at home and if you do don’t forget to chime in on the comments below. Cheers everyone! xo

8 Cocktails for National Rum Day

August 16, 2017 by Natalie 1 Comment

Rum is delicious and by far my favorite spirit. Not just because I have a sweet tooth, but because it is such a versatile category. It is made in so many different countries, which means depending on where it’s from will dictate what it tastes like. For National Rum Day I wanted to go over a brief history of the spirit, characteristics, and of course how it can be used in cocktails.

Brief History

Rum is a spirit distilled from the fermented juice of sugarcane, sugarcane syrup, sugarcane molasses, or other sugarcane by-products. Sugarcane was introduced to the New World by European explorers starting with Christopher Columbus, and the invention of rum — or at least the fermented “wash” it’s distilled from — is thought to have occurred by accident. Basically, the molasses, which had been considered a useless waste product of the sugar refining process, was observed expelling bubbles when left to mingle with the warm, humid tropical air. Sugar manufacturers rightly identified this phenomenon as fermentation: wild, airborne yeasts were getting at the sugar content left in the molasses and releasing carbon dioxide. They knew that with those bubbles came alcohol, too, and it wasn’t long before fermented molasses became the basis for a distilled spirit, which we now know as rum.

Rum is distilled at less than 95% alcohol by volume (190 proof) and bottled at no less than 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof), maybe except for some flavored ones which are less. The legal definition of rum tends to vary from country to country, so establishing a strict definition that applies to all rum from everywhere is impossible. What’s consistent, though, is that rum is always made from molasses, sugarcane juice, or other cane by-products. Factors that influence rum style is source of sugar, yeast type, length of fermantation, type of still, type of barrel, time in barrel, and strength of rum at distillation or bottling.

Rum Styles

White/Light/Silver: Light bodied, crisp, and subtle in flavor, these rums are highly mixable. They marry very well with fruit flavors, so they’re excellent for daiquiris and piña coladas. A common misconception about white rum is that it’s unaged. White rum is aged in oak barrels for a short period of time to smooth out the flavors; it’s then charcoal filtered to remove color.

Gold: Medium bodied and a little stronger in flavor than light rums, gold rums are aged in oak barrels. Like light rums, they mix well into fruity cocktails.

Dark/Black: Full-bodied, with rich caramel flavors, these rums are usually pot-stilled and aged for long periods. Used in tiki preparations such as the Mai Tai, the best of these rums are also sippable on their own, neat or on ice.

Rhum agricole: Full-bodied rums, made from sugarcane juice instead of molasses. As with molasses-based rum, agricoles range the color spectrum, from white to gold to dark. Agricoles are often funky and have floral and vegetal aromas and flavors.

Cachaça: This is called the rum of Brazil. The major difference between cachaça and common rum is in the juice. Most rum is distilled from sugarcane juice that has been processed into molasses, which has a higher sugar content. This makes cachaça have a more grassy, herbaceous flavor than its relative.

Other types are Navy Rum which is the kind formerly given to members of the British Navy. It’s usually proofed at 50% ABV or higher. Overproof rums refer to those with an ABV over standard value, usually 60% ABV (120 proof) or higher.

I’ve rounded up some of my favorite cocktails that I have created to get you inspired to drink rum on this most special holiday! 😉

Pineapple Old Fashioned– Plantation pineapple rum, campari, allspice, and macadamia nut orgeat.

Frozen Passionfruit Daiquiri– White rum, Jamaican rum, lime juice, honey, passionfruit syrup, and tiki bitters.

Frozen Caribbean Coffee– Jamaican Rum, coffee liqueur, coconut, cold brew, and coffee gelato.

Piña Colada Popsicles– Coconut milk, coconut cream, dark rum, pineapple juice, and lime zest.

Coconut Guava Daiquiri– Dark rum, lime juice, coconut milk, simple syrup, and fresh guava.

Boozy Matcha Latte– White Rum, almond milk, matcha, orgeat, and coconut whipped cream.

Dark ‘N Stormy Popsicles– Gosling’s rum, ginger beer, fresh ginger syrup, lime juice, and lime wheels.

Mango Mai Tai– Jamaican Rum, curaçao, orgeat, lime juice, and fresh mango.

I hope you all get to enjoy your National Rum Day. What will you be doing today to celebrate? Is there a rum cocktail that’s your favorite? Let me know in the comments below. Happy sipping! xo

Boozy Matcha Latte

August 3, 2017 by Natalie Leave a Comment

I love matcha A LOT! Last year I made a matcha piña colada and that kind of sparked my obsession with this green powdered goodness. Matcha smoothie bowls, matcha lattes, matcha soft serve, matcha ice cream, matcha brownies…okay you get it! After indulging in an iced latte last week I had an epiphany – this would be really good with rum in it. I often think that though. We can agree that basically everything would taste better with a little rum in it. Period. Okay, I also have a large obsession with rum as you might have noticed. Moral of the story: Do what you love.

I’ve been trying to eat cleaner but I guess drinking cleaner might be counter productive. You can still of course indulge and make smarter choices that are less impactful on your body, mind, and your whole next day. I struggle with really bad hangovers so I try not to push my limits anymore. You’d expect because of my blog and my profession that I’m a BIG drinker. In fact, I pride myself on moderation, and above all things, drinking and serving responsibly. I love to incorporate healthy elements into cocktails by always using the freshest ingredients and using things like teas, ginger, turmeric, etc. All of these things are good for you and of course make you feel a bit less guilty about having another. Check out this article about healthy(ish) cocktails on Supercall where my Yellow Line cocktail is mentioned.

Boozy Matcha Latte, serves 1

2 oz. white rum (I used Plantation)

1 cup milk of your choice ( I used Almond)

2 Tsp. matcha

1 Tbsp. orgeat

ice

float of coconut cream

Add the rum, milk, orgeat, and matcha to your cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain into a highball glass over ice and top with whipped coconut cream.

To make the coconut cream: refrigerate your can of coconut cream for a few hours or over night. When you open the can, drain the liquid and then scoop out the solid cream. You can add sugar if you’d like to sweeten it but I left it as is. I actually over whipped mine by accident, so don’t “whip it good”. 😉

Matcha is high in antioxidants, calming, boosts memory and concentration, increases energy levels, burns calories, detoxifies the body and strengthens your immune system. As if you needed more reasons, the other great thing about this matcha latte recipe is you can, by all means, leave the booze out. If you decide to use a plant based milk this recipe is 100% Vegan. I loved the addition of orgeat as a sweetener to enhance the almond flavor of this drink. If you’re not familiar with orgeat, it is an almond syrup made from almond milk. I enjoyed how this boozy interpretation of a latte came out and it would be great as a brunch cocktail, dessert cocktail or if you’re just in the mood for something sweet. The coconut whipped cream is easy and I actually prefer to use it over real heavy whipped cream because the flavor is amazing! I hope you get to try this at home and if you do, chime in on the comments below. I love you a matcha for reading this post. Until next time. xo

Lemongrass Pina Colada with Bai

July 10, 2017 by Natalie 4 Comments

If you’ve been following my blog over the past year, you know my favorite cocktail is a piña colada. That’s why I’m excited to announce that I’ve teamed up with Bai for National Piña Colada Day to bring you something delicious with their Molokai Coconut flavor. It turns out Bai is just as crazy about coconut as me!

What’s the great part about using their Cocofusion flavors in your drinks? They are super low in calories and sugar (only 5 calories & 1 gram of sugar per serving) and are filled with antioxidant goodness. We’re basically using this to add coconut flavor but taking out the guilt, which is A-OK with me! Any objections? I’ve paired this wonderful fruit juice with homemade lemongrass syrup, pineapple, and rum to bring you a fun and interesting variation on the much loved classic, the piña colada.

Lemongrass Pina Colada

1 1/2 oz. white rum

1 1/2 oz. Bai Molokai Coconut (any of their other cocofusions will work too)

3/4 oz. pineapple juice

3/4 oz. lemongrass syrup

For the lemongrass syrup, first remove the leaves on your lemongrass until you’re left with the white core (about 5 stalks). Chop it up and add it to a pot with 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water.

Bring to a slight bubble and then turn the heat down and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Let cool on stove for a few hours and then strain out lemongrass.

Now to make the cocktail! Add all your ingredients to your blender pitcher, add ice, and blend on smoothie setting. It’s that easy! Pour into your serving vessel and garnish with a pineapple wedge, pineapple leaves, and a piece of cooked lemongrass.

I love how all the flavors compliment each other perfectly. The replacement of coconut cream for the Bai Molokai Coconut, makes the drink less creamy but doesn’t sacrifice flavor. The lemongrass is sweet and fragrant and blends together with the coconut to make a very crisp and refreshing drink. We couldn’t celebrate National Piña Colada Day without a giveaway, so head over to my Instagram for a chance to win 2 cases of Bai. All you have to do in order to be entered to win is make sure you’re following me @arseniclace, @drinkbai, and tag a friend in the comments you want to share a piña colada with! I will reach out to the winner on Instagram on 7/15. Cheers, good luck and thank you for reading this sponsored post here on Arsenic Lace.

Boozy Blackberry and Mango Lassi

June 22, 2017 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Well hello there Summer! There’s nothing I love more than a fruity and creamy drink to cool me down on a hot day. I whipped up my version of a mango lassi, my favorite beverage when indulging in Indian cuisine, except I added some rum. Because rum goes with just about everything. Right?

Right!

Okay.

Now that we’re aggreeing on that, let’s talk about using yogurt in cocktails. I have always wanted to try to play around with it but admitedly have only ever used it in smoothies. Shame on me because I have been missing out. I took fresh mango, lemon juice, greek yogurt, and a little bit of salt and served it in a rumble (bramble with rum) style with muddled blackberries over crushed ice. The results are magnificent.

Blackberry Mango Lassi

1 1/2 oz. white rum

3/4 oz. lemon juice

3/4 oz. honey syrup

2 tbsp. greek yogurt

pinch of salt

freshly diced mango

5 blackberries

Chop up your mango and then add your rum, lemon, honey, yogurt, salt, and mango into a blender pitcher. Flash blend for about 10 seconds just to incorporate the ingredients and puree the mango. In your glass add the blackberries and give them a light muddle. Add crushed ice to the glass ontop of the blackberries and then pour your drink ontop. Garnish with a blackberry and a few pieces of mango.

This drink is everything I need for breakfast, brunch, dinner or dessert. It’s boozy, fruity, creamy, sweet, savory, but most of all refreshing in a bright and delightful way. I love the addition of salt just like a traditional lassi. For a more savory version I would love to add some spices next time like cumin or cayenne pepper. This can also be a frozen cocktail if you wish but I really loved the idea of serving it on crushed to get that layered effect. Have you ever experimented with yogurt in cocktails? If you haven’t you should try this one and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Frozen Coconut Guava Daiquiri

May 19, 2017 by Natalie 2 Comments

Guys, it’s been SO hot here in NYC! I think the temperature is dropping to something a little more reasonable tomorrow but the past two days have been brutal with it being over 90 degrees. I wasn’t prepared for summer weather so soon. That’s why I needed something cold, especially because we dont have AC in our house yet. I saw Mexican guavas at my local fruit market and decided to make a delicious daiquiri variation.

I love Mexican guavas because they’re easier to work with, small, sweet and perfect for cocktails. You don’t have to remove the skin, although try to remove as much of the seeds as possible because they will change the texture of your drink.

Frozen Coconut Guava Daiquiri, serves 1

1 1/2 oz. Dark Rum

1 oz. Lime Juice

3/4 oz. Coconut Milk

1/2 oz. Simple Syrup

2 small guavas

Add all your ingredients to your blender pitcher, add ice, and blend on smoothie setting. Pour into your desired serving vessel and garnish with a guava slice.

Happy weekend everyone! I’m totally in love with how these came out. I’ve actually never worked with fresh guava before, only the puree kind, and I’m so happy I decided to make a cocktail with them. They made this drink extra delicious and added a lot of fruitiness and some slight tartness to an already super refreshing cocktail. These definitely did the trick and cooled me down on this hot and sweaty afternoon. I hope you decide to make these at home and if you do, don’t forget to drop me a line below in the comments!

Pumpkin Spice Pina Colada

September 27, 2016 by Natalie 3 Comments

I know what you’re thinking. ANOTHER Pina Colada variation? But I just can’t help myself! I love tropical cocktails and especially ones that are rich, sweet, and contain coconut cream. Maybe I should just turn this into a Pina Colada Blog. I wanted to do something fun and seasonal, and theres only one thing I love more than Pina Coladas in the summer, and that’s Pumpkin Spice everything in the fall. Plus the weather has been on the hotter side here in NYC still so I wanted to get one more frozen cocktail in before my blender retires for the winter.

Haters gonna hate I guess but stop! There is no possible way you don’t like pumpkin pie. Call me a “basic B” or what have you, I simply do not care. I proudly indulge in lattes, yogurt, almond milk, fro-yo, beer, fudge, oreos, m&ms and anything else you can think of that comes in PS flavor. It is a glorious 2 months a year I get to enjoy all of these delicious things and I take full advantage of it!

This cocktail is super easy to make, right down to the pumpkin puree. The flavor combination of coconut and pumpkin was so good, I may try to bake a pumpkin coconut cheesecake or cream pie. To make the puree simply combine equal parts (I did 11 oz. each because the size of the coconut milk I purchased) unsweetened coconut milk and libby’s pumpkin pie mix in a saucepan over low heat. This will be on the thicker side, so add a half a cup of water and a half a cup of sugar to sweeten a little. When this is well combined add in 1 3/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (blend of powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cumin, cloves, and allspice). Stir until incorporated. Allow to cool, bottle, and keep refrigerated.

Pumpkin Spice Pina Colada

1 1/2 oz. Spiced Rum
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz. Orange Juice
1 1/2 oz. Pumpkin Coconut Puree

Combine all ingredients in a blender pitcher, add ice, and blend on smoothie setting. Pour into serving vessel and garnish with coconut and some freshly grated nutmeg on top.

Frozen Caribbean Coffee

August 31, 2016 by Natalie Leave a Comment

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I have another frozen drink for you. I know I do them often, but I have to get them out while I can. Summer is almost over!!! Soon I will be posting about all things pumpkin, cranberry cordials, and lots of things stirred and boozy (or hot) to keep you warm all winter long. Of course with the occasional tiki drink thrown in to transport you to warmer days. If I have any readers (I’m not sure that I do honestly lol) that live in a more moderate climate with less of a season change, don’t worry, I will be jealous of your amazing produce and sunlight when its 12 degrees, dark, and sad here in NYC.

Labor Day weekend is upon us and I’ve whipped up this delicious boozy frozen coffee variation. I was inspired by the Frozen Irish Coffee that I have had many of at the Erin Rose in NOLA. If you’ve never been there it is a MUST if you’re traveling to New Orleans, I usually just take a cab from the airport directly there just for this drink. I mixed up the base spirit to Rum because I’m using Stumptown’s Coconut Cold Brew (so yum) and thought the flavors would compliment eachother more. If you can’t get your hands on this particular Stumptown cold brew, don’t fret. Use your cold brew of choice and then make some coconut cream (equal parts coconut cream and coconut milk) and then mix the cold brew and coconut cream mixture 2:1. This is like an irish coffee meets a milkshake because I also thought it was a good idea to add a scoop of gelato. When is gelato not a good idea, am I right?

So grab your blender and let’s celebrate the last the big weekend of the summer. This drink is so delicious and easy to make, make a pitcher and share it with your friends. Garnish as elaborate and decadent as you please! I went a little crazy for the photo, whipped cream, fudge, coconut shavings, a sprinkle of coffee. It was messy and when I was done taking photos I drank ALL OF IT!

Frozen Caribbean Coffee

1 1/2 oz. Jamaican Rum (I used Appleton Reserve)
1/2 oz. Coffee Liqueur
2 oz. Stumptown’s Coconut Cold Brew
Generous scoop of Gelato (I used Talenti Coffee Chocolate Chip)
1 cup of ice

Add all your ingredients to your blender pitcher, blend on smoothie setting, serve in your preffered drinking vessel, and garnish with coconut shavings and ground coffee. Whipped cream and fudge optional but highly recommended!

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Rum

Tom & Jerry batter, serves 12

Tom & Jerry, serves 1

Pumpkin Butter Flip

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