Cheese, Wine, and Rhum

Amsterdam Cheese and Liquor Store
Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten
June 29, 2022

 

It seems that no matter where we travel we can find a wine event to enjoy. Yesterday was one of those days. We went to the Amsterdam Cheese and Liquor Store for a cheese and wine tasting and followed that up with a rhum tasting event at Topper's Restaurant and Rhum Bar. 

OK, let's get right at it. Is it rum or rhum? I asked that question and the answer I received was that in French it is rhum! Hence, Topper's sells rhum!

Rhum definition: Rhum agricole is the French term for sugarcane juice rum, a style of rum originally distilled in the French Caribbean islands from freshly squeezed sugarcane juice rather than molasses. Rhum is the term that typically distinguishes it in French-speaking locales from the rum made with molasses in other parts of the West Indies.

OK, enough of the school work for the day.

Wait, I also learned about gouda! There is such a thing as Amsterdam Gouda! It is a thing! Who knew?

We tasted 8 different cheeses, all gouda, and they were good-a. Added to the cheese tastings were two cheese dips, who knew that was a thing, a bottle of Cava and a very nice Tempranillo, which I liked so much that I bought a bottle. We enjoyed an hour at the shop and, because it is off-season, we had the shop and shopkeeper to ourselves the entire time. 

Topper's 
Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten
June 29, 2022

And then it was time for rhum! A short drive to Topper's and we were set to taste seemingly infinite varieties of rhum. 

Coming to our senses, however, after enjoying a wine and cheese tasting we chose the lower level of the three possible flights, and tasted the six most popular rhums. This place offers to refill bottles if the are returned--for a discount! And, I learned, four of their rhums are available at Total Wines! We bought a coffee flavored rhum that is not available at Total Wine & More and left feeling very fulfilled. 

Another great day on the island engaging in some of our favorite activities. 

Harmony of the Seas
Simpson Bay en-route Philipsburg, Sint Maarten
June 30, 2022

Sadly, this is our last full day in Sint Maarten and we are planning a day in Philipsburg with about 4,000 of our closest friends who just arrived aboard Harmony of the Seas. I watched it sail past just a few minutes ago and took this image. It looks like it is going to be a beautiful day!

-- Bob Doan, writing from Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten