Growing up, I loved watching the Cosby Show. Yes, I’m fully aware of the tarnish on Bill Cosby’s legacy today but the Cosby Show was a wonderful part of my childhood. There are so many episodes that I still remember to this day. And yes, before you ask, there’s a reason why I’m talking about the Cosby Show when this post is actually about a rum cocktail. I’ll get to that in a second.
Since this will all make sense soon, I want to share a few episodes of the Cosby Show that I still remember over 25 years later. First up, the Gordon Gartrell shirt episode. If you were an avid watcher of the show, you remember this episode clearly. In case you don’t remember, here’s a photo:
image via Funny or Die
Next, the episode when Claire lets Elvin HAVE IT. Let me set the scene a bit. Claire asks Elvin (who was the oldest daughter’s boyfriend at the time) if he and Dr. Huxtable would like some coffee. He proceeds to tell her she doesn’t seem like the type to “serve her man” and that was a trigger for her. It’s a pretty classic scene – please look it up. And let’s be honest, any of the anniversary episodes when the family performs songs for the grandparents are just so entertaining.
However, the reason why we’re here is for a rum cocktail. The title of this post is ‘jammin’ on the rum’. Well, that is sort of a Cosby Show reference. There’s one episode when the family gets to go into the studio with Stevie Wonder. There’s a scene when Theo gets to record something with Stevie and he says, “Jammin’ on the one”. It’s pretty good and to this day, I still remember it. Because of that scene, we have this cocktail.
Jammin’ on the Rum, a rum cocktail
So now that you sort of know the origin of this beverage, let’s talk about it. It’s called jammin’ on the rum not only because of the Cosby Show reference but because there’s jam in it. Duh. Jam in cocktails isn’t anything new but it is something that I love a lot. It’s a unique way to sweeten cocktails and add a little more flavor to them.
I rarely drink rum but it’s not because I don’t like it. It’s typically just not my go to adult beverage. If I’m on a tropical vacation, sometimes I’ll feel motivated to drink a festive rum cocktail. I’d like to learn more about it and drink more of it. Maybe I’ll make that happen this year – we’ll see.
Ready to drink?
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz rum
- Spoonful of jam (I used apricot), plus extra for serving
- Juice from a lemon quarter
- Ginger beer
- Herb for garnish
Instructions
- Add the rum, jam and lemon juice to a shaker and shake for 15 seconds or until the shaker is cold and frosty. You want to be sure to shake it long and hard enough so that the jam dissolves.
- Strain into a glass, top with ice then pour in ginger beer.
- Serve with your favorite herb as a garnish and a spoonful of jam.
