Mango A Go-Go

Travel is highly educational.  Last time I went to Mexico, for example, I learned that Cruzan Mango Rum is dirt-cheap at the duty-free!  While you may have to pay a bit more back in the States, this tasty, fruity rum is well worth it for adding tropical flair to your summertime beverages.

This is a mango-flavored rum, and like many fruit-flavored alcohols, it loses a little potency because of that – it’s 54 proof (27% alcohol).  The 750 ml bottle sells for about $14 (or $8 at the duty-free, about the price of one drink at the airport bar).  I like it because it’s milder in taste – in fact, the mango flavor makes the rum taste almost imperceptible when you add it to mixed drinks.  And when I’m drinking girly umbrella drinks, I want to taste the orange and pink stuff, not the rum, thank you.

The Cruzan website is not very helpful, but this is what it says about their rum: “This prize-winning product features the tropical flavor of real mangos. Mix Cruzan Mango Rum with fresh fruit juices or use as a dessert topping over cakes and ice cream.”  You would think they might have some drink recipes or information, but no.  Oh well, we can figure out what to do with it, right?

Mango rum will substitute for regular rum in most of your favorite drinks (except for rum and coke! Mango and cola are not friends).  It’s very tasty added to the blood orange soda that Trader Joe’s sells, or Orangina.  You can also soak fresh fruit, like pineapple chunks, in it for an added boozy kick (or pour it into a lopped-off pineapple for parties).  Here’s my personal favorite drink recipe, complete with the obligatory stupid drink name that I invented:

Salty Dog Balls
1 generous shot Cruzan Mango Rum
San Pellegrino Arunciata orange soda
Grenadine

Pour rum into tall glass with ice; fill with Arunciata.  Add a splash of grenadine; this will sink to the bottom, creating a red-orange layered effect. 

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Similarly, I imagine you could add this to any recipe that called for plain rum, as long as the other ingredients didn’t clash with the mango.  I found this rum-cake recipe online and I plan to try it out with mango rum for my next festive occasion/day that ends in “Y.”

Mango Rum Cake

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts
1 18-1/2 ounce yellow cake mix
1 1-3/4 ounce (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold milk  
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup rum

Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup rum

Directions:

Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-cup bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Combine all cake ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan. Invert on serving plate. Prick top with fork. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Use brush or spoon to put extra dripping back on cake.
Glaze: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum.

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I’m no connoisseur of fine rums, but I really enjoy Cruzan Mango Rum’s rich, sweet fruity taste and the tropical flavor boost it adds to my pink drinks.  And I especially enjoy the bargain price!  If you’re looking for a fun, tasty rum to accent your summer cocktails and sweet treats, you won’t go wrong with this reasonably priced rum.