[Sca-cooks] SPICED RUM!?!

[Terry Decker]

>At 09:57 AM 3/20/2004 -0600, Bear wrote:
>>Rum has usually been mixed with something "else."  Think rum punch,
buttered
>>rum, etc.  Rum and coke is a traditional knock off of the Cuba Libre that
>>came to popularity with the expatriate crowd in Havana during prohibition.
>>A proper Cuba Libre is 2-3 ounces of Coca Cola, juice and rind of 1 lime,
1
>>ounce of rum, 1/2 ounce of gin, and a dash or two of bitters.  Originally
it
>>was an exotic cocktail with a cocaine kick (if the tales of the original
>>ingredients of Coke are to be believed).
>
>According to Barbara Mikkelson, by the prohibition era there was only a
>token trace of cocaine left in the Coca-Cola formula, and that was removed
>in 1929. (Homeopaths may inflate the significance of this fact in
>accordance with their superstitions.)
>
>http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/cocaine.asp
>
>Alex Clark (Henry of Maldon says, "Cockaigne? The earthly paradise, home of
>the fountain of youth? I'd drink that!")

Snopes is only as good as its sources, and I've found some questionable
references there, but the bibliography on this one appears solid.

Just to clarify.  The Cuba Libre appears to have been invented in the 19th
Century (back when Coke was the Real Thing).  The name ties off to Cuban
Independence from Spain in 1902.  The original drink was probably pretty
potent.  It's popularity after the Volstead Act turned Cuba into rumrunners
heaven was more likely due to the smooth delivery of high proof alcohol
rather than any cocaine in the cola.

Coca Cola began importing de-cocainized coca leaf around 1903 and began
producing a "cocaine free" syrup.  The Federal government started FDA
controls in 1906 and a federal ban in 1914 and full import/export controls
by 1922 .  By the 1920s the only two companies lawfully importing coca leaf
were Merck and Maywood Chemical Works (Coca Cola's partner).

For a little history of the international coca and cocaine trade, try this
paper:

http://sshi.stanford.edu/GlobalTrade2001/gootenberg.pdf

Bear