So, in between rehearsals, I dropped down to Barbados to celebrate my dear friends very special birthday with a group of girlfriends, our primary mission was scuba diving but we did have time to take a few diversions, including a visit to the beautiful St. Nicholas Abbey Rum Distillery, where we were able to slurp up a little culture and history of the island {and a delicious rum punch}.
If all I had the chance to see was this beautiful chandelier intricately embellished tiny sea shells, I would have been content. Look at the lovely candle cups fashioned from scallop shells; the draping garlands of tiny shells, accented with some sort of urchin spikes and please note the turret shells accenting the lowest tier and urchin shells on the middle tier. I loved studying every detail of this elegant, yet rustic creation.
But there was more. First of all, the aquamarine color on these ancient walls provided such a stunning backdrop for all of the historic pieces that hung upon them, it created such a great contrast to that ancient mirror and the blue and white china. The intricacy of that white molding is just amazing. The cedar paneling was added in 1898, made from trees that were downed in a serious hurricane that hit the island.
The drawing room was filled with all sorts of interesting curios including some taxidermy,
and this massive display of seashells from around the world. I always bring a few favorite sea shells home when I travel so I’m feeling a tinge of inspiration from this display. Maybe I build a little structure of beachwood and start attaching my salty treasures to it?
What do you think?
If you like shells as much as I do, you may want to check out this site where they make all sorts of custom shell party favors, and things, I’m definitely want to use them for some future fête.
This is a portrait of the current owner, Larry Warren, a prominent Barbadian Architect. Don’t you love the smudges of blue the artist, Kirsten Dear, used for shadow on the subjects and the background, it gave the painting such an interesting overall hue.
He purchased the property in 2006 and began restoration work. He and his family are devoted to building a self-sustaining heritage attraction, with the distillery, restaurant, cultural center and plantation. It was so nice to see them all in action, his wife served us rum punch, his son led the rum tasting and Larry was found working in the distillery.
Out the window was a view of the herb garden which has been the source for culinary flavor and medicinal remedies to the house for centuries, click on history to read a more detailed account of the families who have benefitted from this plot over the years.
The 400 acres of land include the sugar cane fields {from which the rum is made}, mahogany forests and tropical gardens. Behind the main house is a courtyard and a cafe which look out over lush tropical gullies filled with indigenous flora and fauna.
This is a shot of the ancient beamed ceiling of the bathhouse and outhouse, located in the courtyard that was used by the slaves who once worked this property. Do you see the underside of the clay roof tiles through the dark wood beams?
The courtyard is also home to this beautiful old aviary, I would love to have one of these in my courtyard, but I think I’d house turtledoves.
Of course there was a gift shop with plenty of elegant bottles of their award~winning rums. I didn’t buy any of the rum, but walked away with a couple of interesting bottles that will allow me to bring a taste of the islands to my cuisine.
Pepper Rum which is white rum infused with the local Scotch Bonnet Peppers, it will be an amazing enhancer for soups and sauces, the rum plus some heat from the peppers. I also purchased their Sugar Cane Syrup, which will be a wonderful enhancer to desserts, it has a thick, earthy, molasses flavor, balanced with a subtle sweetness and a rich brown color.
The Pepper Rum reminded me of the Hot Pepper Sherry I used to drizzle onto the delicious pumpkin soup at The Bitter End Yacht club in on Virgin Gorda so many years ago and the fact that the chef gave me his recipe for those flavorful drizzles.
6-8 habanero peppers
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 750 ml bottle of dry Amontillado sherry
Wash and dry the peppers.
Pierce the peppers in several places and place them in the jar.
Add the garlic and peppercorns.
Pour in the sherry, cover, and store in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.
Line a strainer with cheese cloth and using a funnel, pour the sherry into a bottle or decanter (this may be easier as a 2-step process).
Discard the peppercorns and the garlic. Add the habaneros to the sherry. This can be stored at room temperature, we like keeping refrigerated.
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