"Mount Gay rum: The rum that invented rum." -Chester Browne
Chesterfield Browne is a mixologist for and the Global Brand Ambassador to Mount Gay rum and it was made very clear how he earned such an esteemed title after I attended his Rum Seminar in Barbados during the Food+Wine+Rum Festival.
Chester has conducted master classes around the world including: Germany, New Zealand, Belgium, U.S, Canada, England, China, Japan, and the Caribbean.
 |
| Mount Gay Bartender Ryan, Chester Browne, and Jay Meyer, VP-Associate Publisher of Travel+Leisure Magazine |
Chester was accompanied by Mount Gay Distillery Visitor's Center resident bartender, Ryan who was amusingly anxious to add the rum to each punch!
During the seminar, we were served more cocktails than we knew what to do with. Each was unique, but most included freshly grated spice (nutmeg, cinnamon) and of course rum!
As Christmas music played in the background and holiday decor was all around us, we watched as Chester went to work on 5 beautiful cocktails.
He shared how rum should be infused rather than spiced and how he prefers using punch bowls vs. making individual cocktails when hosting a party at home.
The first cocktail, The Bajan Sorrel, was the first to made but last to drink. Typically, this punch is allowed to rest for several days before consuming to permit enough time for infusion of the ingredients' extensive flavor profiles.
Both fresh and dried sorrel can be added to the recipe. Chester appreciates fresh sorrel and sent around on glass of fresh and one glass of dried sorrel in hot water to allow attendees to observe the difference in color and nose notes between the two:
 |
| Dried sorrel (left); Fresh sorrel (right) |
 |
| N'awlins guys! |
The dried sorrel imparts a more translucent color with obtunded nose notes. Dried sorrel is known to bear an acerbic flavor. Fresh sorrell produces a deep, opaque burgundy color with a soft bouquet.
 |
| Fresh sorrel bulb presented by my personal hand model (another seminar attendee) :0) |
Bajan Sorrel Punch:
-Fresh sorrel, fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, whole cloves, ground cloves, brown sugar, orange peel zest, boiling water, Mount Gay Eclipse Rum
1. Place the sorrell, cinnamon, orange peel zest, whole cloves, and sugar in a large jar and add boiling water. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and allow to rest for 3 days.
2. Strain through a fine sieve and return to jar
3. Add Mount Gay Eclipse Rum, ground cinnamon and cloves. Allow to rest further.
4. Strain through very fine sieve and serve over ice in a highball glass.
 |
| Bajan Sorrell punch stirred by Chester |
The punch bowl was covered and taken out in the sun to speed infusion as we continued on with the other cocktails.
The second cocktail was The Tom & Jerry (created in Wisconsin). This cocktail was served with Farmer's Choice ham and Bajan"Great cake", a rum fruit cake which is allowed to rest for extreme periods of time (up to a year even) while rum is periodically added to it. Just like its American counterpart, this cake lasts forever, but I have the feeling most people would prefer the rum-spiced version.
The moist cake has hints of citrus, currants, fig, and spices (nutmeg, clove, etc.) It was moist and paired perfectly with the nicely marbled, salted ham and the rich, frothy, spiced Tom & Jerry cocktail.
 |
| Ham and Great Cake |
Tom & Jerry:
-1 egg, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 oz. Mount Gay Extra Old (XO) Rum, 1 oz. Remy Martin VSOP, hot milk, fresh nutmeg, vanilla essence.
1. Separate the egg white from the yolk and beat them separately
2. Fold the beaten eggs together and place into an Irish coffee glass or coffee mug
3. Add the sugar, Mount Gay Rum, Remy Martin VSOP, hot milk, and essence
4. Stir well and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg
 |
| Fresh nutmeg (left), Vanilla essence (right) |
 |
| Tom and Jerry |
 |
| Chester whipping eggs. |
 |
| Beautiful egg white |
The Christmas Rum Punch recipe was developed by Chester.
- Fresh lime juice, Mount Gay Eclipse Rum, brown sugar/simple syrup, fresh whole nutmeg, whole cinnamon sticks, Bay leaves, whole cloves, Falernum
1. Cracked nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and cloves should be placed into the rum to be infused overnight.
2. In a punch bowl, add all ingredients and mix well. Strain through a fine sieve.
3. Serve in a highball glass over ice. Garnish with grated nutmeg.
As Chester made this punch, he told the story of how, as a child, he was able to have a white Christmas in Barbados when his grandmother allowed the children to bring sand in the house and pour it over the floors. I imagine the bold flavors and fragrance of Christmas Rum Punch evokes memories of Christmas past often.
Throughout the seminar, it's obvious that Chester thrives on nose notes! On more than one occasion, he states, "You smell that?"- seemingly taken with his spiced creations. We all chuckled as, of course, we were seated too far away to actually enjoy the fragrance. On two occasions, I was able to breach the stage (it only cost one kiss on the cheek for Chester) and yes, the aroma wafting from the punch bowl was indeed intoxicating (no pun intended).
He then pours a bit on the back of his hand for a taste and exclaims, "Oh, Lord!"
In this room, we are kindred spirits, I am driven as well by the sense of smell and taste and also known to be openly moved by delicious things.
Chester speaks of how he found his passion behind the bar, how scoring a job where he is allowed to taste cocktails was ideal. We should all be so lucky.
Next up was the Punch of Cream, another rich cocktail. It's origin is Trinidad.
-6 eggs, 2 tsp grated lime zest, 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk, 6 oz. evaporated milk, 12 oz. Mount Gay Eclipse Rum, 1 Tbsp bitters (Orange Fee Brothers), 1 punch of grated nutmeg, 12 oz. Ponche Kuba (A Caribbean rum cream)
1. In large bowl, beat eggs and lime zest
2. Gradually add the condensed and evaporated milk while continuing to mix
3. Add the rum, Ponche Kuba, bitters, and nutmeg. Mix well
4. Serve in a highball glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Last but not least, we enjoyed a traditional Caribbean Corn & Oil, simply made with 2 oz. Mount Gay Eclipse Rum, 1/2 oz. Falernum, and 1/4 oz. fresh lime juice.
1. In an ice-filled rocks glass, add the rum and falernum.
2. Add the lime juice and stir well. Garnish with a lime twist.
 |
| Bring on the Falernum! |
Everyone who walked into the seminar seemed to enjoy it. A few may have even acquired a stumble in their gate. But overall, we learned and tasted much.
All attendees received wrapped Christmas gifts from beneath the tree:
The gift:
