Tour De Dessert: Europe’s most Delicious Pastries, Cakes And Tarts

Contributed by Pam Mandel 

American cafe culture has come a long way in the last two decades: corporate coffee has spawned near two generations of independent cafes that offer more than the old standby of roadside diner joe and pie. But in Europe, grand salons with wrap-around pastry cases have more in common with jewellery stores than store-front bakeries. How do you decide what to order with your caffeinated afternoon pick-me-up?

Here are a few ideas. Consider it a starter list for your carb- and sugar-fuelled tour of Europe rather than a definitive guide. And don’t feel compelled to stick strictly to the list – should a neighbouring confection in the pastry case call your name, get that instead. Better yet, get them both.

Cannoli for sale in Italy. Image by Danita Delimnont / Gallo Images / Getty Images.

Eccles cake in London

Don’t be fooled by the ‘dead-fly pie’ nickname, bestowed on this dense buttery pastry because of the currants that are wrapped inside. Skip the common supermarket versions and head for St John Bakery (www.stjohngroup.uk.com/bakery/pastries) in London, where Eccles cake is served with Lancashire cheese.

My first Eccles cakes by John Johnston. CC BY 2.0.

Croissant Ispahan in Paris

Yes, eating croissants is required. And, yes, they should fall apart on the first bite, covering your shirt, your plate, and your useless napkin in a sea of paper-thin crumbs. There are hundreds of croissant options, but the heavenly Ispahan variation at Pierre Hermes (www.pierreherme.com) in Paris combines the essential flaky pastry with regionally harvested raspberries, rosewater, marzipan and possibly the tears of angels.

Image of Pierre Hermes by Andy Liang. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Medovnik in Prague

Layers and more layers of honey cake alternating with a filling that sits somewhere between whipped cream and condensed milk. The Russians have an origin story about this cake, as do the Ukrainians, but you’ll find it at most corner bakeries in Prague. Head for the Cukrarna Hajek (www.cukrarna-hajek-hajkova.cz) or, for a more classical vibe, the Café Savoy.

Cannoli by Jeffrey W. CC BY 2.0.

Cannoli in Italy

It’s unlikely, but the time may come when you tire of gelato. The solution is clear – switch to cannoli. It’s a crispy (when super fresh) fried dough tube filled with sweet ricotta. Sometimes the cookie-like pastry is dipped in chocolate and there are variations in filling flavour. The best places will fill your cannoli after you order it. If you’re in the Sicilian pastry’s homeland, try the Laboratorio Pasticceria Roberto in Taormina.

Hotel Sacher, Wien, by Dominik Bartsch. CC BY 2.0

Fächertorte in Vienna

The Sachertorte gets all the love in Austria and, sure, having a slice in the cafe at Vienna’s Hotel Sacher is a fun touristy experience. But that’s not all the Austrians, those under-recognised masters of European baking, have on offer. Highly recommended is the Fächertorte: it’s three layers – yellow cake, poppy seeds and apples – wrapped in brioche like pie crust. Get it at the Gerstner Bakery (www.gerstner.at) on the Kärntner Straße in the heart of Vienna’s fancy shopping district.

Besök på Kakslottet, Taxinge, by Andreas Ivarsson. CC BY 2.0

Prinsesstårta in Sweden

History suggests that the ‘Princess Cake’ got its name because it was a favourite of three turn-of-the-century Swedish princesses. Certainly it’s very pretty with its bright green marzipan concealing alternating layers of sponge cake, jam, vanilla custard and whipping cream. Get a slice of royalty-approved Prinsesstårta at Taxinge Slott Café (www.taxingeslott.se) in Nykvarn. It’s an hour outside of Stockholm and is absolutely worth the trip.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/europe/travel-tips-and-articles/77809#ixzz2dZFwCgGq

Mo'Zippity Apps-The Only Mobile App That Provides Specific Gate-To-Gate Times At The World's Top Destination Airports

The World's Best and Worst Airports for Connecting On Time

 Which are the best and worst airports for making connecting flights and why?  Wayne Chen, president of Mo'Zippity Apps, discovered the answers while creating Connect On Time™ – the only mobile app available anywhere that provides specific gate-to-gate connect times for many of the world's top destination airports.  His picks are based upon the number of barriers and amount of time needed at each airport to get between its furthest gates once security and passport control lines have been cleared.

10 Best
1.     Zurich Airport (ZRH)	10 min.
2.     Salt Lake City International (SLC)	11 min.
3.     Tampa International (TPA)	12 min.
4.     Orlando International (MCO)	15 min.
5.     Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)	16 min.
6.     Denver International (DEN)	18 min.
7.     London Stansted (STN)	19 min.
8.     Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL)	20 min.
9.     Dubai International (DXB)	21 min.
10.     Hong Kong International (HKG)	22 min.

The Best airports have better than 70 percent on-time departure and arrival records, logical layouts, efficient security and passport control checkpoints, connected airsides, and gates that are no more than a half an hour apart. 

10 Worst
1.     Beijing Capital International (PEK)	1 hr.  27 min.
2.     London Heathrow (LHR)	1 hr.  25 min.
3.     Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)	1 hr.  23 min.
4.     Shanghai Pudong International (PVG)	1 hr.  18 min.
5.     Los Angeles International (LAX)	1 hr.  10 min.
6.     Sydney Kingsford Smith (SYD)	1 hr.    9 min.
7.     Tokyo Narita International (NRT)	1 hr.    3 min.
8.     Boston Logan International (BOS)	1 hr.    2 min.
9.     Frankfurt International (FRA)	1 hr.    1 min.
10.     Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)	59 min.

The Worst airports are the polar opposite of the Best.  Beijing Capital tops the list with a dismal 30 percent on-time record and stressed-out passengers constantly struggling to reach their connecting gates on time.

Plan AheadSo while considering which connecting flight to book, allot at least an hour between flights to account for unexpected delays and wait times at the Best airports, and three hours at the Worst.  "Give yourself the gifts of time and peace of mind," suggests Chen, "because no one else will."

For details about other airports or Connect On Time™ go to www.connectontime.com

10 Favorites At The Barns Foundation In Philadelphia

The Ascetic. Pablo Picasso, 1903; Room 18. "Quite three-dimensional, but flat at the same time. When you stand back and look at it, there is this absolute stillness, but when you look down at the left hand - crushing the napkin - there is this ripple and rhythm in a point of action. I find it very powerful and obviously very El Greco-esque. This is poverty." - Barnes president Derek Gillman

On a walk through the gallery, president Derek Gillman points out relatively obscure pieces of complexity, ambiguity, tension. 

Contributed by Rathe Miller

In Room 2 of the Barnes Foundation hangs Terracotta Pots and Flowers by Paul Cézanne. You may know the collection and some of its 69 works by the great master - The Card Players, The Large Bathers - but you probably never paid much attention to this one.

Yet this relatively obscure still life is one of Derek Gillman's 10 favorite paintings in the Barnes.

Why?

"It is a really, really complex painting when you start to analyze your way into it," says Gillman, executive director and president of the Barnes. "It reminds me of Chinese calligraphy, which only in the reading of the characters does your eye follow the line of the brush. It is like that here - you have to follow Cézanne's hand to see what he is doing."

The Barnes includes more than 800 paintings in its $25 billion collection. When we asked Gillman to show us his favorites, we did not get the eye-popping icons we expected. Instead: a luncheon scene by Renoir, a Goya portrait, a primitive head sculpted by Modigliani.

Complexity. Ambiguity. Flatness interacting with dimension. The tension between representation and abstraction. The rhythm of line and color through a composition.

These are some of the criteria he uses to explain his choices, expected from the Oxford-educated art historian who took over the Barnes in 2006 and ran the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts before that.

But beyond his resumé, Gillman's eye has been refined by his background in philosophy, Chinese art, and the aesthetic theories of Albert C. Barnes.

Reviewing the list of favorites, Joseph Rishel, senior curator of European paintings before 1900 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, said, "Clearly, Derek - no surprise - is on the top of his game. . . . His choices pluck just about all the primary strings of Dr. Barnes' remarkably prescient and broad views while finding a personal sweet spot in each cluster."

Loose and friendly, with an easy laugh, Gillman, 60, says, "I'm a visual guy. I respond to pictures, to images. And I don't in my own mind differentiate between the emotional and the rational response." Did a painting ever make him cry? "I had an English public school upbringing - I was taught not to cry."

Some viewing advice for the typical eye?

"When you look at a work of art," Gillman says, "ask yourself, where does the artist want me to go? The Klee, the Renoir, the Soutine - Barnes was looking for works that help you do that."

Seated Riffian 

Henri Matisse, 1912; Main Room. "The man is a warrior, a force of nature. This for me - and probably for Barnes, too - is a very fine point where the seesaw is nicely balanced between the pleasures and the intrigue for the eye of a pattern and colors, and the figure that is located in the real world."

Terracotta Pots

and Flowers 

Paul Cézanne, 1891-2; Room 2. "It's not necessarily something you'd stop at - for one reason, it's sitting next to van Gogh's The Postman - yet it is a very compelling painting."

Luncheon 

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1875; Room 13. "We have 181 Renoirs, so one seemed reasonable. This is an impressionist painting - relaxed, ordinary, middle-class couple. A moment of intimacy."

The Studio Boat

Claude Monet, 1876; Room 9. "That fleeting effect of light, sky, water. You may say it looks moody, overcast. I see this as an act of the hand and the eye. It's the painting whose postcard sells the most in the Barnes gift shop."

Head

Amedeo Modigliani, 1911-12; Mezzanine. "Modigliani was already ill with tuberculosis when he did these figures. He couldn't sell them, so he had them in his courtyard and put candles on them at night so it was like a primitive temple. It's a very strong piece."

Door

Baule peoples, 19th-early 20th century; Balcony. "A stunning, wonderful object. It used to be the logo of the Barnes. If you go out to Merion, you'll find this represented in the mosaic outside the gallery."

The Ascetic

Pablo Picasso, 1903; Room 18. "Quite three-dimensional, but flat at the same time. When you stand back and look at it, there is this absolute stillness, but when you look down at the left hand - crushing the napkin - there is this ripple and rhythm in a point of action. I find it very powerful and obviously very El Greco-esque. This is poverty."

The Pastry Chef

Chaim Soutine, c. 1919; Room 16. "The paint is erupting out of the canvas. It wants to spread all over and out and come into the room. And yet, in the midst of this explosion, this volcanic painting, the eyes are level. You think you've lost this character in paint - but he's there, within it, looking out at you."

Sicilian, Landscape

Paul Klee, 1924; Room 17. "It's a representational scene, an abstract painting, a piece of music, an exercise in paint balance and color harmonies. My thesis on Klee is that you can never have too many Klees. He's one of the greatest painters who ever lived."

Portrait of

Jacques Galos

Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, 1826; Room 6. "A radiant, warm face. But it's not like a Renoir face - not warm in a sentimental way. He is the rational, clear-thinking human being. I like the stillness of the figure - utterly, utterly still - and yet utterly alive."

---

The Barnes Foundation

2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. For days and hours, and to purchase timed tickets, call 215-278-7200 or go towww.barnesfoundation.org

Travelore Tips: How To Use Those Confusing Frequent-Flier Miles

It's almost like having a million free miles and nowhere to go. Travelers today are frustrated in their efforts to spend frequent flier miles with labyrinthine rules, blackout dates, and jam-packed airplanes blocking every attempt to cash in.

Charisse Jones, national business travel correspondent for USA Today, joined Carl Quintanilla on TODAY to offer fed-up fliers a guide to making the most of those miles they have piling up. The veteran reported admitted the complex – and constantly changing – rules and regulations are tough to keep up with.

“My mind is always spinning,” she told Quintanilla.

Basic math is part of the problem. The frequent flier programs, which American Airlines rolled out first in 1981 with 283,000 members, are bursting at the seams with hundreds of millions of fliers today. “But there are only so many seats an airline is going to make available ‘for free’ or as a reward,” Jones told Quintanilla. 

“Airlines have also cut back on the number of seats they're flying, period. They want to make sure their planes are full since an empty seat is a money loser.”

So what’s a flier to do when there’s not enough to go around? For one, Jones said, hang on to miles for a flight that’s worth it -- think dream trip to Paris, not a domestic hop valued at $300. Be prepared to spend big, with cross country flights costing up to 60,000 miles according to Jones.

Don’t let your miles expire; even a small purchase like a magazine subscription can keep your account active said Jones.

And finally, “Don't despair,” she said. “There are other experiences, and merchandise you can purchase with your miles.”

Airlines are ponying up some tempting consolation prizes for the foiled reward-seeker, starting as low as United’s 100 mile song download and flying as high as Delta’s GE Profile 57 bottle wine center for 240,800 miles, which, according to Jones, is “really for the person that has so many miles they can’t spend them all on travel.”

U

For as little as 10,000 Delta miles, Jones said you might be able to “get a pair of baseball tickets to see your favorite teams play...and we’re not talking about sitting in the bleachers eating popcorn and drinking beer. These are the VIP seats.”

46,150 American miles can get you a night at the five-star Athenaeum Hotel in London's tony Mayfair district, Jones told Quintanilla.

Or, you could invest in some good karma and give your miles to charity. Jet blue will kick in $10 for every 1,334 points (miles) you donate.

Contributed by Dana McMahan

The Inaugural Voyage: 7 Reasons Why It Tops Cruisers’ Wish Lists

 The inaugural cruise experience ranks very high on most travelers’ cruising wish list, say the cruise experts at Cruises-N-More. There is something undeniably exciting about being one of the first guests aboard a brand new ship on one of its maiden voyages.

If you are considering an inaugural cruise, Cruises-N-More offers 7 reasons why it’s a great idea:

Viking

1. The inauguration ceremony and sailing of a ship often becomes a local or international event. Take, for example, the pomp-and-circumstance-filled Viking River inaugural ceremony in the Netherlands earlier this year. In a large and well-orchestrated ceremony, the line christened four of the six world-class river-cruise longships they have scheduled to debut this year. Honored guests from all over the world were present for the groundbreaking ceremony.

2. Bragging rights. Inaugural passengers are part of the ships’ history, the elite group present for the very first sailing.

3. The cruise lines know that positive word-of-mouth is an excellent marketing tool. The better the buzz, the better the bookings will be on future voyages. The line may take this opportunity to impress passengers on a maiden voyage with extra special food, entertainment and activities.

4. The lines frequently offer special inaugural events and keepsake tokens, which are a great way to remember your voyage. Sometimes the lines even give each cabin a present worth $50 or more. For example, on the inaugural sailing of the Ruby Princes, Princess Cruises provided a specially engraved, ruby red bowl to her passengers.

5. In order to generate interest in the ship, some maiden voyages offer “introductory pricing,” which can be significantly lower than future sailings.

6. Because the shipboard routine has not been established, and the ship’s staff is still finding out what guests want and need, they tend to be quite flexible with things like on-board activities, menus and seating arrangements.

7. The ship is pristine and brand new. It’s a lovely feeling to experience accommodations that have no wear and tear, no sign of passengers who have come before.

Inaugural cruises are a very popular sailing choice, and they fill up early. If you are interested in finding out more upcoming inaugural cruises, please contact a Cruises-N-More cruise specialist at 800-733-2048 (toll-free USA/Canada), 0-808-189-1292 (toll-free U.K.), 800-076-002 (toll-free Australia) or +1-407-771-4454 direct-dial. Visit Cruises-N-More at http://www.cruises-n-more.com/.

# # #

About Cruises-N-More:

Cruises-N-More, family-owned and operated since 1998, offers great deals, great prices, great amenities and the latest cruise booking technology. Cruises-N-More has been featured in USA Today and Frommer’s “Cruises for Dummies” as having great cruise prices and has been ranked by MSNBC as a top Web broker. The agency consistently ranks among the top producers with the major cruise lines and CEO Pat Neidhardt is a member of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Advisory Board.

A member of ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents), CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) and endorsed by IATAN (International Airline Travel Agent Network), Cruises-N-More has over 15 years of dedicated service in the travel industry.

Cruises-N-More has received many accolades from the cruise lines. The agency has received the following awards: Princess Gold I-Excel Agency; Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Online Agency of the Year/Key Account; Carnival Top Agency & Select Agency; NCL President's Club Agency; Holland America Centurion & Premium Preferred Agency; Disney, Silver Sea, Crystal & Cunard Agency Producer.

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What’s Happening in Florida’s Space Coast: Fall 2013

As the season cools down, events heat up on Florida’s Space Coast

With cooler weather in sight, outdoor activities highlight the season in Florida’s Space Coast. Enjoy all the destination has to offer this fall with family-friendly events and cultural celebrations. Whether it’s taking a blast to the past with a 1980s–themed celebration, soaking up space history at a rocket launch or participating in a new artistic festival poised to become a destination tradition, there’s plenty to do in Florida’s Space Coast!

For a full listing of events, visit www.visitspacecoast.com/space-coast-events.

BOGO Surf Special – Now through September 8, 2013 – Space Coast, Fla.

Guests can learn to catch a wave with the destination’s Buy One, Get One free surfing deal now through Sept. 8. Visitors who purchase a surfing lesson at Cocoa Beach Surfing Company, Surf Cocoa Beach or Catalyst surfing schools will receive an additional surfing lesson for free when staying at participating hotel properties on Florida’s Space Coast. The deal also includes an additional 15 percent discount at these hotels. The promotion gives guests an opportunity to ride the waves in the East Coast’s surfing capital, where surfing legends like Kelly Slater learned and refined their craft.

The BOGO coupon is good for two concurrent surfing lessons at participating surfing schools. Offer is not valid with any other promotions.  For a full list of participating hotel properties and more information, visit www.summersurfingspecial.com.

Brevard Caribbean Fest – September 1, 2013 – Cocoa Village, Fla.

Celebrate the taste of the Caribbean with the Brevard Caribbean Fest on Sunday, Sept. 1. This annual event will feature live music, Caribbean dishes and dancing. Founded in 2004, the festival aims to encourage interaction between members of the community in a family-friendly atmosphere. Attendees will also get the opportunity to hear from noted speakers, network with other professionals and showcase their musical or performance talent to the community.

The Brevard Caribbean Fest will take place in Downtown Cocoa Village at the Riverfront Park from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Admittance is free. For more information, visitwww.brevardcaribbeanfest.com.

Space Coast Music Festival – September 27 – 28, 2013 – Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Come rock out at the Space Coast Music Festival on Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28. As a benefit event to help buy instruments for the Mila Elementary Music Program, the festival will offer multiple parties, live musical performances and food. This concert will feature Island Style Jam Music by the Caribbean’s No. 1 attraction, Hi Tide. Attendees are also encouraged to stick around for the Space Coast King and Queen of Wings competition and the Baja Tavern Port Canaveral Cove After Bash Space Jam from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The event will be hosted both nights at the Manatee Sanctuary Park, located at 701 Thurm Blvd. in Cape Canaveral.  Admission is $5 and children under 12 are free. The festival will also feature an Eco Village dedicated to earth awareness and raising money to help preserve creative outlets and natural experiences for the youth of Florida.

For more information, visit http://www.visitspacecoast.com/Details/?id=17514&today=09/27/2013.

80s in the Park – September 28, 2013 – Melbourne, Fla.

Blast to the past with this two-day celebration of everything from the 1980s on Saturday, Sept. 28. From popular bands of the decade to iconic movie and TV cars, stars and sports figures, the event highlights the decade’s finest pop culture moments. And what 1980s celebration would be complete without entertainment? The Top 40 hits of the decade will be played throughout the park and attendees will have the opportunity to play favorite arcade games like Ms. Pacman and Space Invaders.

The 80s in the Park event will take place at 3825 N. Wickham Rd. in Melbourne. For tickets and more information, visit www.80sinthepark.com or call 321-917-0721.

Art & Algorithms Festival – October 4 –13, 2013 – Titusville, Fla.

New this fall, downtown Titusville will turn into a digital space when it hosts the Art & Algorithms festival from Oct. 4 through Oct. 13. This 10-day arts festival will highlight creative pieces that intersect art and technology. The festival will also feature two internationally known artists from the United Kingdom, Martin Richardson and Clifton Stewart, whose works have been acknowledged in the creative field. Featuring movies, hands-on digital and interactive exhibits and more, the event is designed to become a destination staple.

For more information, including a complete list of signature events, artists and where to purchase tickets, visit www.artandalgorithms.com.

Port Canaveral Pink Ribbon Walk & Port Fest – October 5, 2013 – Port Canaveral, Fla.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, come and join this family-oriented event benefiting the Space Coast Cancer Foundation on Oct. 5. From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a charity walk, purchase items from local vendors and witness a Peel & Eat Shrimp eating contest at the Cove at Port Canaveral. The walk route will take attendees through multiple waterfront properties.

To walk in the event, guests are asked to make a $20 donation. For event details and more information, please call 321-508-3547 or visitwww.visitportcanaveral.com/event/pink-ribbon-walk-port-fest.

Brevard Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo – Weekends, October 11 – October 27, 2013 – Melbourne, Fla.

Come experience tricks and treats at the Brevard Zoo’s annual Boo at the Zoo Halloween event. Guests will have the opportunity to take their children to trick or treat with the animals and meet with various event sponsors. This weekend-long event will span the entire month of October, from October 11 –  13, October 18 – 20 and October 25 – 27.

For tickets, admission prices and more information, visit www.brevardzoo.org/calendar.

Viera Fall Festival and Oktoberfest – October 25 – 27, 2013 – Viera, Fla.

Celebrate the fall season with Viera’s new Fall Festival and Oktoberfest event. This free, family-friendly festival will feature a pumpkin-carving contest, hay rides, German cuisine, a children’s Wizard of Oz costume contest, food trucks and live music. The Chardon Polka Band will perform on Saturday and Sunday. Poised to become a city tradition, the Viera Fall Festival and Oktoberfest will feature a weekend full of fun and excitement for all attendees. The festival will be located at 2700 Judge Fran Jameson Way in Viera.

The event will be open on Friday from 6 – 10 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.viera.com.

Rocket Launches – Kennedy Space Center, Fla. – September – October, 2013

NASA and private industry unmanned rockets continue to launch from the Kennedy Space Center:

Falcon 9 - SES 8 – TBD, September  2013

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the SES 8 communications satellite.  SES 8 will provide Ku-band and Ka-band direct-to-home broadcasting and network services over the Asia-Pacific region.

Atlas 5 - AEFH 3– September 25, 2013

The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket will launch the third Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite. Built by Lockheed Martin, this U.S. military spacecraft will provide highly-secure communications. 

Falcon 9 - Tahicom 6 - October 2013

This SpaceX rocket launch will carry the Thaicom 6 satellite into orbit.  The orbital will provide C-band and Ku-band communications across the Southeast Asia and Africa.

Delta 4 - GPS 2F-5 - October 2013

This United Launch Alliance rocket will carry a U.S. Air Force navigation satellite for the Global Positioning System. 

Check www.kennedyspacecenter.com for launch times.

All launch dates are subject to change.  For updated information on dates, launch times and tips on where to view a launch, visit www.spacecoastlaunches.com.

Located 35 miles (56 km) east of Orlando, Florida’s Space Coast is home to Orlando’s closest beaches. Encompassing Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach, Palm Bay and Titusville, this family friendly destination offers more than 10,000 guest rooms, and is an ideal, value getaway. With 72 miles (110 km) of beaches, the longest stretch in the state, and 250 square miles of wildlife refuge, the Space Coast is one of the largest intact eco-systems in Florida. It is home to one of the nation’s busiest cruise ports; is the nation’s East Coast surfing capital and the location of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, where all 135 shuttle missions launched and unmanned rockets continue to launch. The Space Coast will be home to the retired Atlantis shuttle in July 2013, and is one of only four destinations nationwide where visitors will be able to view an orbiter. For more information, contact the Space Coast Office of Tourism at (877) 572-3224 or visitwww.visitspacecoast.com. Visit www.spacecoastlaunches.com to learn about upcoming rocket launches. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Florida-Space-Coast. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/flaspacecoast.

An Island-by-Island Guide to Caribbean Rum

Contributed by Emily Saladino 

Call it rum, rhum, or ron; just don't call it boring. Often (falsely) portrayed as uniformly saccharine, rum is one of the most diverse spirits on the planet. Today, in honor of National Rum Month (August) and the upcoming National Rum Day (August 16), we're going straight to the source to get the full story. Next stop, the Caribbean islands.

Caribbean rums range from crisp, complex Martinican bottles and subtly sweet Bajan blends to the bold, whiskey-like Haitian distillations. How can one three-letter word encapsulate so many discrepancies? Due to unregulated production laws, anything distilled from sugar cane or its by-products can be classified as rum. Couple that with the broad range of Caribbean cultures, histories, and topographies, and you've got yourself a veritable rum rainbow.

Jamaica: One of the only islands to create an official classification system for its rum varieties, Jamaica's bottles range from light and clear to dark and full-bodied. After distillation in clay pot sills, most Jamaican rums are blended and used in cocktails and seemingly ubiquitous punches. While Appleton is the country's best-known export, island experts like the Tryall Club's Jerome Dellon and Courtney Virgo champion local favorites like J. Wray & Nephew White Overpoof Rum, which has a smooth taste despite its 60+ proof.

Martinique: Arguably the foremost rum destination in the region, this French-Caribbean island produces only Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) rums. Translation? Martinican rum standards are so high that the French government monitors its products using the same type of strict guidelines it has for Burgundy wine or Roquefort cheese. Distilled from pure sugarcane juice, Martinique's rhums agricoles have a complex, almost vegetal quality, and range from the delicately spiced Saint James Royal Ambre to clear and crisp Clément Blanc.

Dominican Republic: For proof that all rums aren't sweet, considerDominican distiller Brugal. The 125-year-old label produces a range of light and dark rums, culminating in the distinctive Extra Dry. Something of a gin-drinker's blend, this white Brugal is made from fermented molasses and aged for just three to five years in American oak casks once used for bourbon. The result is crisp, clear, and unlike any other rum from the region.

Barbados: Like Armagnac production, Bajan rums are distilled using both column and copper pot stills. The resulting blends range from light to dark, but al have a light, subtle sweetness. Barbados' best-known brand is Mount Gay, which dates back to 1663 and claims to be the world's oldest operating rum producer. The blended bottles make for great company—Bajan rum enthusiasts use them in carefully guarded rum punch recipes or mixed with fresh coconut water for a simple, straightforward, delicious cocktail.

Guyana: The only Caribbean country that is not, in fact, an island, South America's coastal Guyana is an outlier in more ways than one. Its rich, dark rums get their distinctive terroir from the Demerara River, where Guyanese sugarcane is picked before being crushed into molasses. Distilled in both pot and column stills, they can also be aged for remarkably long periods of time. Consider luxury brand El Dorado cask-aged, 21-year-old Special Reserve, which has a dark, honeyed taste, perfect for sipping straight.

Haiti: Made from pure sugarcane juice, Haitian rhums agricoles have a sharp, layered bite. National brand Barbancourt makes all five of its bottles using a French double distillation process called charentaise. Typically used for bottling cognacs, charentaise gives Haitian bottles a distinctive tang that makes them excellent for drinking neat or with a solitary ice cube. Care to sip with a conscience? As part of Haitian earthquake relief efforts, Barbancourt has created a foundation to house some 1200 displaced people. It continues to accept donations and distribute aid; find out more here.

Photo credits: Rum bottles via Dreamstime.com