Rum History and Facts

Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum! No doubt you are familiar with exotic cocktails made with rum. Rum is not only a potent libation, it also lends incredible flavor to many recipes from main dishes to desserts. Learn more about cooking with rum and try some interesting old and new rum recipes.

Rum History and Facts

Rum is a fermented liquor distilled from sugarcane molasses. It ranges in color from clear to dark brown, with dark rums being the most flavorful. Government standards require rum to have a minimum proof of 60 (30 percent alcohol by volume), but there are many much stronger rums up to 190 proof.

Rum originated in the Caribbean islands circa 1600 and quickly became a hot trade commodity. Today, most of the world's rum comes from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Americans alone consume over 30 million gallons of rum a year. Rum enjoys a healthy 7 percent of the overall liquor market.

More About Rum and Rum Recipes

• Rum Cooking Tips
• Rum History and Facts
• Alcohol Substitution Chart
• More Cooking with Alcohol Articles
• Rum Recipes
_{Rum Photo © 2009 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Cookbooks

•	Just Add Rum! : Caribbean Cookbook
•	The El Paso Chile Company Rum & Tiki Cookbook
•	Trader Vic's Tiki Party!: Cocktails and Food to Share with Friends
•	The Sober Kitchen
•	More Cookbooks