Infused rums are a big thing on the island of Guadeloupe, where the tropical fruit is there for the picking and the rum is tinged with the sweet taste of cane. In the national park, the rest stop/bar boasts a wall of glass containers filled with tropical fruits macerating in white rum. These rhums arrangés—as they are called—sit and mellow, taking on the flavors of whatever fruits are left in them. An iced-tea jar or agua fresca container is perfect for preparing this rum. If you cannot find (or don’t wish to use) the more expensive rums from the French islands, this is one place where you can use what Michael Oliviera, my Martha’s Vineyard rum purveyor, calls “cost-effective white rum,” as even it will take on the tropical tastes.
makes 1 liter
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
2 cinnamon sticks
One 1-liter bottle rhum agricole or white rum, such as Rhum Damoiseau or Rhum Dillon
Put the pineapple chunks and cinnamon sticks into a large glass container, pour the rhum over and seal it. Allow it to macerate in the sun for 2 to 3 months. The rum will mellow and take on the flavor of the pineapple, creating your own special pineapple rum. When ready, discard the fruit and serve as an after-dinner drink in a cordial glass or use in piña coladas in place of the white rum.