Rum: A Global History

Edible

by Richard Foss

“Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!” A favorite of pirates, the molasses-colored liquid brings to mind clear blue seas, weather-beaten sailors, and port cities filled with bar wenches. But enjoyment of rum spread far beyond the scallywags of the Caribbean—Charles Dickens savored it in punch, Thomas Jefferson mixed it into omelets, Queen Victoria sipped it in navy grog, and the Kamehameha Kings of Hawaii drank it straight up. In Rum ,Richard Foss tells the colorful, secret history of a spirit that not only helped spark the American Revolution but was even used as currency in Australia.
This book chronicles the five-hundred-year evolution of rum from a raw spirit concocted for slaves to a beverage savored by connoisseurs. Charting the drink’s history, Foss shows how rum left its mark on religious rituals—it remains a sacramental offering among voodoo worshippers—and became part of popular songs and other cultural landmarks. He also includes recipes for sweet and savory rum dishes and obscure drinks, as well as illustrations of rum memorabilia from its earliest days to the tiki craze of the 1950s. Fast-paced and well written, Rum will delight any fan of mojitos and mai tais.

Genres: History, Food, Food History, Cocktails, Booze

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Susan Liston · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've recently seen the author on two Zoom lectures and it has resulting in sending me onto a history of alcohol-related history toot. This is quick reading, and I learned a lot about rum I didn't know before.

[Kevin Kosar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of interviewing Richard Foss, author of Rum a Global History. You can listen to Richard talk about his book at: http://alcoholreviews.com/2012/06/21/interview-with-richard-foss-rum-historian/.

Rum: A Global History covers the who/what/when/where of rum with with wit and charm. I blew through this book in a few nights, and it easily earned a permanent place in my beverage book library. Highly recommended for the rum lover or anyone with an interest in the history of drink.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't a terrible book, but I've read others about the history of rum that were more entertaining, most notably Wayne Curtis' ...And a Bottle of Rum. Richard Foss' book is more cursory, and not as amusing. There are fun anecdotes, but a lot of them come off as apocryphal, like the tale of sailors drinking the rum that Admiral Nelson was supposedly preserved in. It's just hard to believe that any of that happened. The book is also marred by factual errors, such as mis-spelling the Chinese word for liquor, and a photo caption placing Mauritius in Asia. Rum: A Global History comes off as more of a labor of love than a thoroughly researched work that breaks new ground.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of the histories of rum invoke histories of slavery. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that rum rarely receives the attention of wine. The subtlety and complexity (and diversity) of rum is incubated through borrowed flavours of barrels. It is important that writing about rum is not derivative of other alcoholic beverages. Richard Foss captures this distinctiveness and plurality and creates the analytical and social space for writing about rum.

[Rob Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breezy but informative.

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one ended up being a fair bit more interesting than the previous Edible book I read, possibly because I hadn't already read a longer, more comprehensive book on rum. Vodka: A Global History is still the standard by which I judge Edible books, though. Like all Edible books, it's a quick read for people with a passing interest in the subject, but if you're really interested in researching rum, look elsewhere.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

quick and light overview of what could be a very complex and indepth subject. This is perfect for those who want to understand the origins and history of rum without getting too deep.

The one thing I think it is missing is a bit more detail on the process of fermentation and distillation itself but you can't have it all in 125 pages.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but brief.

[Marc · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably not worth reading, certainly not worth publishing

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Fun read