Bumbo

Bumbo (Cuban Coconut-Cinnamon Rum Cocktail)

Bumbo is a rustic Cuban cocktail with roots in the island's pirate and colonial past, traditionally stirred together with freshly grated coconut, toasted cinnamon and a generous pour of good rum. This home version keeps the spirit of the original while working within a modern kitchen.

Prep

10 min

Total

10 min

Serves

2

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •120 ml (½ cup) white Cuban rum, Havana Club or similar; light, dry rum works best
• •60 ml (¼ cup) fresh coconut water, or unsweetened canned coconut water
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh coconut cream, from freshly grated mature coconut if possible; canned coconut cream is the home-kitchen substitute
• •20 ml (4 tsp) fresh lime juice, about 1 lime
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) sugar syrup (1:1), dissolve 50 g sugar in 50 ml hot water and cool; adjust to taste
• •1 whole cinnamon stick, plus extra for garnish; broken into pieces for steeping
• •1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg, optional, true to older recipes
• •120 g (about 1 cup) crushed ice

Steps

1. 1 Lightly toast the broken cinnamon stick pieces in a dry pan over medium heat for 30-45 seconds until fragrant, then let them cool. This step releases the oils and deepens the flavor that defines a true bumbo.
2. 2 In a mixing glass, combine the rum, coconut water, coconut cream, lime juice and sugar syrup. Add the toasted cinnamon pieces and the pinch of nutmeg.
3. 3 Let the mixture steep for 3-5 minutes so the cinnamon infuses into the liquid, then stir well. Taste and adjust sweetness or lime to balance.
4. 4 Strain the liquid into a chilled glass or shaker, discarding the cinnamon pieces.
5. 5 Fill two short tumblers (old-fashioned glasses) with the crushed ice, dividing it evenly.
6. 6 Pour the infused cocktail over the crushed ice in each glass and stir once to combine.
7. 7 Garnish each glass with a fresh cinnamon stick (used as a stirrer) and a small lime wheel. Serve immediately while the ice is still crunchy.