Batavia Arak

[aruzinsky]

This appears to be no longer available in the USA, but young "gourmets" should know what they are missing. I became familiar with this over 20 years ago and used it to flavor pastries.

Batavia Arak is a light colored liquor with a strong rum like flavor. It differs from rum in that it is made by fermenting molasses and rice whereas rum is made by fermenting just molasses. In my opinion, for cooking purposes, it is better than Myers's Rum. There are so few strongly flavored rums available in the USA. Most available rums are tastless or, as in the case or Morgan's Spiced Rum, not very rum-like. I heard that Gosling's Black Seal Rum is good but haven't tried it yet.

Anyone else familiar with Batavia Arak?

 

[Taboo]

Arak

Oetker, a German/Candadian company used to make an Arak extract. It comes in tiny little vials. My mother used this flavoring often. Perhaps they still make it. Hope this helps!

 

[aruzinsky]

Re: Arak

Oetker, a German/Candadian company used to make an Arak extract. It comes in tiny little vials. My mother used this flavoring often. Perhaps they still make it. Hope this helps!

I believe that you mean this:

Your mother is being scammed. No artifical flavoring tastes like real rum or Batavia Arak. The main constituent of most artificial rum flavoring is ethyl oxyhydrate, also called "rum ether." That is not to say that this doesn't have a useful flavor in its own right. It just doesn't taste like real rum. For example, I prefer artifical rum to real rum in eggnog. Better yet, both real and artificial rum. Your mother is also being scammed because all artificial rum flavorings taste basically the same and she can buy more concentrated "rum flavor oil" which is more cost effective. For the manufacturer, that vial probably costs more than what's inside.

 

[Taboo]

Well..hmmm...actually my mother is dead. I can only assume she purchased the flavoring because she couldn't purchase the real deal. Growing up in rural North Carolina in the '70's there wasn't a large variety of "gourmet" findings!

Anyway, now I know better and will look for a better source. Thanks.