While at the cottage, the ladies drink a lot of red wine. We try different grapes, different regions and different vintages, always willing to sip something new and perhaps discover a new favourite.

The men drink rum- Lamb’s rum- with Coca-Cola and lime. It’s a twenty-five year old tradition that shows no signs of change in the forseeable future- (If it ain’t broke…) Now, I must admit that over the past few years, other spiced rums have been seen around the cottage.  Sailor Jerry’s and something my Aunt brought back from Barbados have been consumed and enjoyed. But this year, I am going to force the men to really spice things up with a rum as manly as they are.

Cue Chic Choc, a spiced rum from the Chic Choc mountains in Quebec that feels truly Canadian.  Said to be the product of a daring adventurer, star crossed lovers, ferocious beasts, unforgiving mountains and rare spices, this rum has all the elements of a grand epic.  The label shows a giant roaring bear with a small man on his back, our hero (I assume) who has captured this savage beast before putting all of this Alpha masculinity into a bottle of rum. This brand invites drinkers to be brash, brave and bold with a Herculean teaser on YouTube. Their tagline is: Daring Adventurers, We Salute You! Surely this rum is man enough for the cottage!

Given the story behind this spicy rum, it makes sense that the first recipe they have shared is a Dark n’ Stormy. Once you have survived the vicious lines at the LCBO, made it off of a perilous streetcar, dashed across a busy street full of maniacal drivers and made it home with you your bottle of Chic Choc, the real adventure can begin.

Dark ‘N’ Stormy

Ingredients:

·      45 ml (1 1/2 oz.) Chic Choc Spiced Rum

·      60 ml (2 oz.) ginger ale

·      15 ml (1/2 oz.) lemon juice

·      1 sprig of spruce

·      Ice cubes

Preparation:

Fill a glass with ice cubes.

Add the rum, ginger ale and lemon juice.

Garnish with the sprig of spruce.

In terms of how well it goes over at the cottage, stay tuned. I will let you know after the May long weekend.

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