6 November 2012

Old Monk


Any appreciator of good Rum would be fond of Old Monk. It is famous in Bombay and throughout Maharashtra. This is where it is distilled. It is iconic. My English colleague and friend describes it as like drinking Christmas Pudding. It is very sweet. 

He loves it. 

It has a kick like a mule. 

I just like saying it. "Old Monk". 

It has resonance. It offers up a happy image. There are bottles available that are moulded in the shape of an actual old monk. They were a special release. A dedication piece. 

I have one. 

It has pride of place on my bookshelf.

This is a picture of an old monk. It is not the Old Monk I am referring to:


Whenever I am in Bombay I always make a trip out to the Grand Hyatt hotel. The one in Santa Cruz. I travel there specifically for one of their specialty dishes. It is a baby roasted leg of lamb. The lamb is flambéed with a cup of Old Monk as it is served at your table. 

It ignites. 

It is spanking. 

It is worth the travel.

This is a picture of the baby leg of lamb being flambéed in old monk rum at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Bombay. I ate this minutes after it was ignited. I ate all of it:

 

I also make a custard flavored with a nip of Old Monk. It gives it a kick. You can put it on your ice cream as well. 

Old Monk is versatile in cooking. 

No pantry should be without it.

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