An afternoon of making intoxicating drinks

Up reasonably early, but nothing insane. Nonetheless, was greeted by Ottawacker Jr telling me he’d been out for a run around the neighbourhood. My jaw dropped. Whatever. Did another one of the New Zealand applications and then settled down to making the latest batch of rhum arrangé. This really is incredibly easy – and the only issue is the ease with which it is drunk.
 
Rum arrangeottawackeré
 
·        1L white rum (plantation rum seems to work best, as a little stronger)
·        100g cane sugar – OR ¼ cup of sirop de canne
·        Fresh fruit (you can use apples, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, pears, peaches, bananas, whatever)
·        1 x 1L mason jar/weck bottle – must be airtight
 
Clean the mason jar or weck containers (sterilise if possible). I did three this time, but it’s up to you, obviously. Cut up the berries or fruit, and put a large handful in each container. Don’t go overboard.
 
Mix the rum and the sugar together. If using sugar cane, then use a blender and blend until it is all dissolved. If using sugar cane syrup, this is easier. Use your finger. Don’t use any other appendage. Or just use a spoon.
 
Pour the rum/sugar cane mixture over the fruit and fill the bottle. Close the bottle and make it airtight. Wipe down the outside of the bottle so it doesn’t attract ants. The last thing anyone wants is an army of drunk ants walking back and forth through your house. Contrary to popular belief, ants do sing when they are drunk. One ant might not make that much of a noise, but a column of inebriated ants on their way back from a night licking the outside of your mason jars make a hell of a racket. So just wipe the damn jars down, alright? Honestly, what is it with you people?
 
Once you have wiped down the outside of the mason jar, put it in a cool, dark place and forget about it for at least three months. If you remember it before then, say after a month, then go down, and give the jar a little swirl around so the flavours are disseminated more evenly. Then put it back in the said cool, dark place and leave it again.
 
After three months, you can drink it. You can either decant it (and use the alcohol-imbued fruit as a topping for ice creams or gelatos) or leave the fruit in as you drink (in which case the flavour increases). Make sure you replace the lid immediately after serving (as oxidisation seems to lessen the flavour). Make good Christmas presents for neighbours and friends. Nice over ice or by itself as an apéritif or digestif – depends how you like it really.
 
Ottawacker Jr home from school with Wyatt, demanding Burgers Priest for dinner. Desperately hoping Real Madrid thrash Manchester City. Yes, I am petty.