It isn’t easy for a rum brand to get the one-name not of approval from rum aficionados.

It takes time, it takes energy and it takes a product that is as consistent as it is

But travel to rum hubs in the United States — from Sarasota to Miami to Palm Beach, and you’ll hear rum lovers call it, simply, “Pilar.”

It’s quite a rise for a brand part-owned by the Hemingway Estate and designed around the adventurous spirit of one of the greatest writers of the 20th century.

And that rise has happened steadily since the brand first launched in 2013.

But what’s most impressive about Pilar’s growth is that the company has not rested on its laurels.

It’s always experimenting, always trying new things, always tinkering and always coming up with new ways to satisfy rum palates.

The latest effort is its most ambitious: Marquesa.

Like all Pilars, it’s a blend, this time of seven rums aged up to 24 years, all put together by the brand’s master blender, Ron Call.

The company says the new blend honors Hemingway’s time in the Marquesas Keys, the tiny islets near Key West, where Hemingway was once stranded while on a fishing expedition.

The expression was finished in #4 char Kentucky Straight Bourbon barrels, part of what Call says was the desire for a more “whiskey-forward experience.”

So what is it like?

The aroma has notes of caramel, key lime, oak and even a hint of chartreuse.

The flavor profile has notes of caramel, brown sugar, malt and vanilla.

And then there’s a sensation the brand first managed to convey in its previous release, “The Lost Cask” – a kind of warmth — not of heat, but of spirit.

While it’s exceptionally complex, Marquesas delivers a warm embrace on the palate, wonderfully balanced and harmonious, delicate but luxurious.

The finish is nutty, a note we haven’t encountered before with Pilar – but a welcome one.

This rum is a journey — the kind you wouldn’t mind getting stranded on for a few weeks.

Rum Journal Review
95 Points

— CJ

The post Rum Journal: Another Exceptional Rum from Papa’s Pilar appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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A hot new resort is coming to one of the Caribbean’s hottest hotel destinations: Belize. 

The new Alaia Belize is set in the bustling destination of San Pedro Town in Ambergris Caye, a residential resort community that will be part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. 

The beachfront property, the first-Marriott branded resort in Belize, will include a pool, spa and fitness center, a wedding venue, a beach club, several eateries and a signature rooftop pool. 

The property is approximately 70 percent complete, according to Waypoint, which is handling real estate sales at the property, which will include a mix of standalone beachfront villas and oceanfront condos. 

It is slated to debut in December 2020, a spokesperson for Alaia told Caribbean Journal. 

One of the first branded developments in Belize, Alaia will also include a full-service spa, a dive shop and a “live” art gallery, with interiors by renowned Brazilian designer Debora Aguiar. 

The development by Andrew Ashcroft will be set on the southern portion of Ambergris Caye, with 35 hotel units, along with 56 two-bedroom units and a mix of eight oceanfront villas. 

It’s yet another boost for Belize, which has seen one of the fastest tourism arrival growth rates in the wider Caribbean region in recent years. 

And it’s part of a wave of new hotels in development in Belize that range from a new Margaritaville-branded resort to another property that will be under Marriott’s primary brand. 

For more, visit Alaia Belize. 

— CJ

The post Marriott Is Opening a New Resort in Belize appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Nigel Spence

Mushrooms are generally not high on the list of foods that Caribbean folks hold in high regard. That may be because we are not and have never been a mushroom growing or consuming society.

What I was taught when growing up was that mushrooms were poisonous
and should be avoided at all costs lest you touch it, keel over and meet your Maker.
As I got older the only other mushrooms ever encountered were of the
hallucinogenic variety and those too came with tales of going over to the dark
side, never to return to normal.

Needless to say, with all these dark tales, there was
absolutely no reason for me to further explore the possibilities of mushrooms
being a part of my diet.

Then came the girlfriend.

She was Italian, with a good dose of crazy, and quite
opinionated.

Among the many firsts I experienced with her, one that I can
mention is the introduction to EATING mushrooms.

It was love at first bite (the mushrooms, that is).

It was that savory satisfying food that I didn’t know I
needed in my life, unlike the girlfriend who had to move on to someone more in
keeping with her character, because at that time it just wasn’t me.

I do thank her for the introduction as it has turned out to
be a “happily ever after” story with the fearsome fungus my mom always warned
me about.

Mushrooms don’t need a lot of in-depth preparation for it to
be awesome; sometimes the simpler the better.

SCOTCH
BONNET MUSHROOMS

1  LB SHIITAKE
MUSHROOMS, FRESH

2 TABLESPOONS ITALIAN PARSLEY, CHOPPED

1 TEASPOON SCOTCH BONNET SALT (RECIPE FOLLOWS)

¼ CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

METHOD:

REMOVE STEMS FROM MUSHROOMS AND DISCARD. HEAT OLIVE OIL IN
LARGE SKILLET OVER MEDIUM HEAT. PLACE MUSHROOMS BROWN SIDE DOWN IN SKILLET. LET
MUSHROOMS SIT AND SAUTE IN THE OIL WITHOUT MOVING THEM FOR ABOUT 4 MINUTES.
TURN OVER TO THE SIDE WITH THE GILLS AND COOK FOR AN ADDITIONAL 2 MINUTES.

REMOVE TO A LARGE BOWL AND TOSS IN SCOTCH BONNET BUTTER AND
CHOPPED PARSLEY.

SERVE WARM AS A SIDE DISH OR ADD AS A FILLING TO
OMELETTES,  TO PERK UP A WARM SALAD OR TO
ADD A NEW DIMENSION TO POTATO SALAD.

SCOTCH
BONNET SALT

Ingredients

20 Whole Fresh Scotch Bonnet Peppers roughly chopped

1/2 Cup coarse Kosher Salt (or sea salt)

1 Large Mortar & Pestle (or food processor)

Method:

Put both ingredients in mortar and pestle and pound until it is the
texture of a chunky paste.

Work in batches if your mortar and pestle is not big enough to hold everything at once.

Nigel Spence, a Culinary Institute of America alumnus, was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Nigel freelanced at the Television Food Network for 3 years where he worked with culinary luminaries such as Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse. Chef Spence has appeared twice on Throwdown with Bobby Flay where he emerged the victor in cook offs against the Food Network star and was featured on CBS when he appeared on Tony’s Table as well as ABC’s Neighborhood Eats, NBC’s The Today Show , Sirius’ Everyday Living with Martha Stewart and TVFN’s Chopped. The acclaimed and New York Times-reviewed Ripe Kitchen and Bar is Mr Spence’s first entrepreneurial endeavour.

The post A Great Caribbean Mushroom Recipe appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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