The World's First Rum Recipe

Rum was invented in Barbados even though the island never called it that. In this Barbados recipe from 1640, rum is known as "kill devil," which probably refers to its medicinal properties or the mood brought on by a really bad rum hangover

This recipe was recorded by Englishman Richard Ligon who visited Barbados in 1647 and lived there for 3 years. In 1657 he published A True & Exact History of the Island of Barbados with this recipe,

Calvesfoot  pie

You should take pig skin, “with which they were wont to make minc’t pies, seasoning it with salt, cloves and mace, and some sweet herbs mixed. And being baked, taking out of the oven, opening the lid and putting in a dram-cup of kill devil, and being stirr’s together, set up the table… and till I knew what it was made of, I thought it a very good dish.”

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