The Story Behind The Nostalgia Rum and Tamarind
For Taffy Hodge, manager and head mixologist at Lit Lounge, it’s the flesh and color of fruits that evoke the spirit of her home island, Anguilla, in the eastern Caribbean. She does this at Lit Lounge by infusing cocktails with local fruits. She also makes her own syrups with herbs such as sage, lemongrass, and coffee bean. In the case of the Nostalgia, a rum cocktail whose base is overproof white rum, the inspiration comes from tamarind.
“This cocktail is tamarind-based, which is a fruit that grows wild across the island. Its bittersweet qualities evoke the same feelings of nostalgia towards the island as the tamarind juice and syrups that are made at home,” Hodge says. “This combination of wild bittersweet fruit offers a snapshot of Anguilla, with its warm and spiced hues that paint the palate.”
This recipe originally appeared in the VinePair article, "Six Caribbean Bartenders Share Cocktail Recipes to Represent Their Islands," written by Kristin Braswell.
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