Cremat, or rom cremat (,

Catalan Catalan may refer to: Catalonia From, or related to Catalonia: * Catalan language, a Romance language * Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia Places * 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...

for 'burnt rum') is an alcoholic cocktail of

origin. Although many different recipes exist, the common elements to most of them are rum,

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...

, spices (particularly

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, breakfa ...

), lemon peel, and some form of

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. S ...

(usually roasted beans, but soluble

instant coffee Instant coffee is a beverage derived from brewed coffee beans that enables people to quickly prepare hot coffee by adding hot water or milk to coffee solids in powdered or crystallized form and stirring. Instant coffee solids (also called sol ...

or brewed coffee are also used).

History

The origin of the ''cremat'' is closely related to historic

seatrade Seatrade is an Antwerp-based international transportation and shipping company specialised in the transport of perishables and other sensitive cargoes. Seatrade is the largest specialized refrigerated shipping company in the world, operating a ...

between

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...

and the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

(particularly

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

) in the 19th century, at a time when Catalan tradesmen and entrepreneurs set sail for the West Indies in search of fortune (an archetype known in

as ''indià'' or ''indiano'' upon their return).. The drink is associated with fishermen and believed to have originated on the

Costa Brava The Costa Brava (, ; "Wild Coast" or "Rough Coast") is a coastal region of Catalonia in northeastern Spain. Whilst sources differ on the exact definition of the Costa Brava, it can be regarded as stretching from the town of Blanes, northeast o ...

, the coastal area of

Girona Girona (officially and in Catalan language, Catalan , Spanish: ''Gerona'' ) is a city in northern Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter River, Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 103,369 in ...

Popularity and significance

Preparation and consumption of ''cremat'' constitutes an important part in the ritual of singing '' havaneres'', a musical genre based on Cuban ''contradanza''. This type of sea shanty, and by extension the drink, is a staple of Catalan identity. A concert or ''cantada'' of ''havaneres'' is a frequent night event in village festivals (''festes majors'') around Catalonia, not exclusively on the seaside, and ''cremat'' is served to both singers and audiences.

Preparation

''Cremat'' is traditionally brewed in a large terracotta bowl or pot. Dark rum is preferred, although since most of the alcohol is burned away, it is not necessary to use a top shelf brand. The rum is mixed with sugar, cinnamon, a lemon peel, and roasted coffee beans, and heated over a stove so that the sugar melts. At this point it can be tasted for sweetness and add sugar if necessary. The following part must be done outdoors: The mixture is set on fire (usually by lighting a spoonful first, and then the whole bowl), and it is left burning until the liquid is reduced to around (around 10 minutes). Then it is put out by covering the bowl with a lid, blowing, or throwing brewed coffee on it. It is then served hot in glasses or coffee mugs.

References

{{Alcoholic beverages Catalan cuisine Catalan folklore Cocktails with rum Alcoholic coffee drinks

History

Popularity and significance

Preparation

See also

References