Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot In Antigua

Cue the calypso music!

I just lately had the pleasure of experiencing a two-hour rum-tasting on the island of Antigua, at a neighborhood restaurant known as In The Yard.

Should you’re not overly accustomed to the island, let me present some background. Certainly one of its claims to fame – together with manufacturing rum – is that Antigua is the place the place the favored music, “Feeling Sizzling, Sizzling, Sizzling,” was born. Good to recollect – particularly throughout Carnival. It is usually a spot the place you’ll be able to land a personal jet, as many celebrities and VIPs go to, and have properties, on the island. Rock star Eric Clapton, for instance, has a house right here, I used to be informed. The entire main airways fly to Antigua’s airport, V.C. Chicken Worldwide, which is alleged to be one of many highest-rated within the Caribbean.

The rum-tasting expertise was very informative and academic, as we sampled rum punch, then the model Cavalier Gold, and afterwards, English Harbour, adopted by a lunch of fried codfish, jerk hen, salad and bread, in addition to recent guava juice on ice.

It was in 1930 that the primary rum distillery was based on the island, the place it was bought on the large army port of Nelson’s Harbour. To be able to make rum, the sugar cane must undergo two processes: propagation and fermentation. Coloured rum is aged rum created in oak barrels that had been beforehand used simply as soon as in Kentucky, within the creation of Jack Daniels. Clear rum is distilled rum. As our host informed us, “The longer the rum stays within the barrel, the smoother the style, the darker the rum, and the extra expensive it’s.” A 25-year-old rum can value as a lot as $400.

A historical past and geography lesson was additionally included. Listed below are some enjoyable info:

• A Carnival costume for girls – often only a thong and a few feathers – can value as a lot as $1,800. (A substantial expense, particularly for folks, who usually overspend on their Carnival outfit. To partially compensate for this expense, their youngsters obtain free faculty uniforms.)
• Cricket is the principle sport.
• Antigua is a number one island for kidney transplants.
• There’s a $500 Covid tremendous if you don’t put on a masks on island!

In your tour, additionally make certain to pattern some Wadadli, the native beer. As our host joked to us, the beer bottle’s label incorporates a map of Antigua – “so you could find your approach again to the ship in case you have too many.”

Talking of ships, this tour in Antigua is among the quite a few free excursions offered by Regent Seven Seas Cruises. We sailed on the Mariner all through the Caribbean. Again on board, you should have many alternatives to pattern different kinds of Caribbean delicacies, particularly on particular evenings the place the dinner celebrations have an island aptitude. For instance, on one such evening, we loved avocado-and-pineapple salad with ardour fruit French dressing; crab muffins with Poblano chili aioli; cream of pumpkin soup; seafood Jambalaya; Jamaican jerk hen; and beef tenderloin with Creole gravy. For dessert, the island delights included coconut crème brulee; pistachio tarts; and rum cake.

Stated the Govt Chef, Ronald Marczak: “I promise to all cruise friends: I can carry them to anyplace on this planet with my delicacies. I simply want to regulate the environment and the meals, then I and my workforce could make it occur. Across the Caribbean, and I can even carry them to India, America, The Philippines, Portugal, China, Japan and South America.”

And for those who’d like a few of these Caribbean meals to be lowfat, low-carb or plant-based, simply make your particular request 24 hours prematurely – and it’s a carried out deal.

Your thighs will thanks for it!

Who is aware of? You simply might need to take into consideration that feathered thong…

For extra about my Wanderlust travels, please Observe me on Insta at @DebbiKickham.