Gordon Ramsay Restaurants Did Pirates Drink Rum?
Thursday 18 April 2019
Our brand-new pop up, The Rum Shack at the York & Albany, got us thinking a lot about rum. We asked ourselves ‘what is rum actually made of?’, ‘who invented rum and raisin ice cream?’ and ‘did pirates really drink rum?’ The first two questions are easy – rum is made (primarily) from sugarcane, and rum & raisin ice cream hails from Italy (we should have figured – thanks Italy). The third question took us longer to figure out, but we’re sure that if pirates did drink rum, they’d most definitely have a rum old time at our little slice of the Caribbean in Camden this summer!
The Rum Shack is nestled in our courtyard at the York & Albany, a short walk from both Camden Town and Regent’s Park. From 19 April to 2 September 2019, the Rum Shack will offer you a private beach-style shack to eat, drink and relax with friends, family and colleagues. Decorated with bamboo, palm trees, floral prints, and non-stop summery vibes, the shack is the perfect spot to bring some sunshine to your day – all in the name of rum!
The Best Bacardí Cocktails
We’ve developed a tantalising menu of Bacardí rum-based cocktails for you to try when you visit the rum shack. Bacardí have been making rum in Cuba since the 1800s, after the founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó decided that all the rums available were far too harsh. He pioneered key rum-making techniques, including charcoal filtration and the isolation of a single strain of yeast from nearby sugarcane fields – hence why Bacardí rum is so smooth and light bodied.
For over 130 years, Bacardí only made rum - which is probably why it tastes so good! Some of the most well-known Bacardí rum cocktails include the Bacardí Daiquiri invented in 1898 by an American engineer working in Cuba who wanted something tasty and refreshing. He mixed freshly squeezed lime juice, sugar, shaved ice and Bacardí Superior rum and the Daiquiri was born. Two years later, American soldiers mixed rum with Coca-Cola – introducing the Original Cuba Libre which is now concocted (and drunk) around 6 million times a day around the world.
The cocktails on our menu give a modern and refreshing twist to traditional rum cocktails. The Light ‘N’ Breezy (inspired by the Dark ‘N’ Stormy) blends Bacardí Oro, a golden rum, with punchy crème de cassis, zingy fresh lime, and refreshing ginger beer. When you visit the Rum Shack everyone will enjoy a Light ‘N’ Breezy as part of the menu – cheers to that!
Our showstopping #RumShackalack Punch is the perfect way to get your Caribbean party started. We’ve combined white rum Bacardí Bianco with Bacardí Oakheart, a spiced rum spirit. Added to the mix is mango, pineapple, coconut water, and pink grapefruit, all served up in a Bacardí El Coco rum barrel. If that doesn’t make you feel like you’ve been transported to the tropics then nothing will!
Havana Nights
We’re not the only ones who equate rum cocktails with holidays in the sun. Back in the 1920s when United States Prohibition was in full swing, Bacardí kicked off an innovative campaign promoting Cuba as an enticing escape from the drinking restrictions back in the USA. Tropical postcards illustrating a Caribbean island paradise, Havana nightlife and (crucially) cocktails were mailed out and Americans flocked to Cuba in search of fun, sun, and Bacardí rum. Whilst Camden may not quite be the Caribbean, you can enjoy your own slice of holiday paradise at our Rum Shack! (it’s much cheaper than a flight to Cuba, too…)
Our cocktail, the Air Mail, is inspired by this era in Bacardí's history and their successful attempts to persuade Americans to make Havana their vacation destination. In 1949 the Air Mail cocktail appeared in the Esquire 'Handbook for Hosts' and has since become one of Bacardí's most iconic cocktails. They say that unlike regular garnishes the Air Mail should be served 'with a postage stamp. Stuck on the edge of the glass or placed to one side, it's always delivered with style'.
Tasty Treats
Alongside our cocktail menu, we’ll be serving sharing platters of Cuban inspired delights. Enjoy black pea and rice balls, Cuban sandwich bites, mojito-style prawn skewers, Pina Colada set cream with Bacardí glazed pineapple and coconut, and mini Dulce de leche tarts with rum and raisin ice cream (thanks again, Italy).
But, Did Pirates Drink Rum?
Steel band drum roll please… Yes. They did. Pirates often started out as military sailors, who developed a taste for rum when it was distributed in the Navy. The Caribbean was a hotbed of piracy and instead of having to wait for their daily tot of rum from their superiors, pirates could drink it whenever they pleased. The ships that pirates looted were often transporting barrels of rum, and these barrels were one of the first things they took. Luckily for you though, you won’t have to share any of your Bacardí rum cocktails with pirates at the York & Albany…