Customer Reviews

Just Add Rum! Caribbean Cookbook

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I picked up Just Add Rum! by Anela Spenceley in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and felt like I brought a taste of the Caribbean home to snowy Wisconsin. I did have a little trouble finding some ingredients (like passionfruit liqueur) but I haven't made a bad recipe from this book yet. My husband and my 9-year-old son cannot stop eating the banana rum fritters and I've made enough mango passion chutney for gifts for everyone. The drinks are fun, too. I recommend this book!

I was so disappointed with this book. I was expecting easier recipies with easy to find ingredients, especially with the alcoholic ones. I mean one does not buy expensive liquor just to use one ounce for a recipie.

I have been using this cookbook for about a month after purchasing it during our visit to Puerto Rico at the National Park Service gift shop in the Fort San Cristobal (so at least some of my money went to a good cause). I have made 14 of the 58 drinks and have not been blown away by any of them. I have five kinds of rum in my liquor cabinet along with many other mixers such as grenadine, Grand Marnier, Frangelico, cream of coconut, etc, so you'd think I could make many of the drinks. Unfortunately, you'd have to have a far more extensive bar than is possible for the average cook. I wish the author would provide acceptable substitutes for the many exotic ingredients (Creme de Noyaux, anyone?). Also, the quantity of each recipe is widely varied and in many cases, no mention of the type of glass is provided. Even if it is mentioned, the drink does ot fill the glass appropriately. Finally, on the topic of drinks, the author lists an island under each drink name but there is often no explanation of the connection, if there is one, of the drink to that island.

I am making my first dessert, the Original Island Rum Cake, as I write this. In this case, the author tells you to prepare a 8" cake pan. It is very important to use a cake pan with 2-3" tall sides, such as a springform pam, or the batter will spill all over over. Also, the cake cooked in 45 min, not the 60 in the recipe. I hate to think of the wasted ingredients if I had let the cake bake for the full hour. It makes me wonder if these recipes were tested by professional chefs/bartenders prior to publising.

Buyer beware!

The book was in great condition, the recipes look promising. I'm sure I'll use it over and over!