Words by Jason “J-Rockaz” Orford
Despite the recession ’tis still the season to be jolly. If you’re participating in spreading holiday cheer and all that mushy stuff, why not use a fancy candy bar as a means to that end? On that note, allow me to re-introduce the Cadbury brand of Rum n’ Raisin chocolate bars (seriously, they are shaped like bars of gold bullion). My personal favorite is the original Old Jamaica bar which was launched in 1970 as a special blend of milk and plain chocolate with rum-flavored raisins. Perhaps they were trying to appeal to the booming West Indian migration and the emerging UK reggae culture/scene my uncle was a part of back then. Indeed, I grew up on this stuff via special overseas deliveries from my family.
I already know the big question haunting all of you liquor connoisseurs. The answer is, Yes. You can taste the rum. The exact breakdown is 82% Dark Chocolate , 17% Raisins , and 1% Rum. However, don’t sleep on the rum count, one bar will surely have you buzzing. Fair warning: ingesting alongside eggnog or any other spiked holiday goodies may induce blurry vision, mild headaches and a lethargic attitude towards life in general. If you do experience a holiday mash up as such, try sobering up with one cup of Marley Coffeee.
FYI, in recent times the maker of these fine products was bought out by KRAFT (let us bow our heads and pray that the transition is smooth and their standard of affordable fine cocoa for everyone remains). Additionally, this Cadbury Classic Selection bar is no longer made for the UK market so unless you can G5 it to Buckingham Palace to raid the royal stockpile, locating the chocolate might be a tad bit tricky. But that’s what makes a gift special, isn’t it? Check your local European or West Indian markets or specialty stores as well as the web to track it down. Don’t be surprised if the packaging varies, it’s the same good stuff except for differences in dairy milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Happy Holidays and to all a sweet bite!