In 2005, I was working at Entessa and I made several trips to St. Croix, USVI to design and deploy a Marine Terminal management system we built for Hovensa.

If you’ve ever been to St. Croix, then you’ve likly visted the Sunny Isles Shopping Center and its K Mart. It’s the hub of the island. And also was a great place to buy bottles of Cruzan Rum made on the island.

After a few trips, I had to figure out some uses for all the rum I was bringing back. I came up with this Caribbean-inspired sauce which is great on wings. It’s potent if used just as a dipping sauce!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup allspice coarse ground
• 1/2 cup coriander seed coarse ground
• 2 tablespoons thyme dried
• 2 tablespoons lemon thyme dried
• 2 tablespoons cumin ground
• 2 tablespoons Tellicherry peppercorn coarse ground
• 16 ounces ketchup
• 16 ounces honey
• 1 lemon juice and zest
• 1 lime juice and zest
• 3/4 cup Cruzan Estate Dark Rum
• 3/4 cup Cruzan Citrus Rum
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 6 garlic cloves fresh, crushed/grated
• 2 tablespoons ginger fresh, grated
• 1 tablespoon cilantro fresh, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons hot crushed pepper sauce

Directions

1. Using a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind the coriander seed then set aside in a bowl to hold the spice mixture. May need to process in small batches.

2. Do the same with the allspice and black pepper.

3. Finely grind the cumin using a mortar, or spice grinder. Add to the spice mixture.

4. Add the dried thyme and lemon thyme to the spice mixture.

5. In a mixing bowl, combine the honey, ketchup, and spice mixture. Stir.

6. Add the lemon and lime juice, both rums, hot pepper sauce and mix well.

7. Grate in the ginger, garlic, and zest of the lemon and limes.

8. Add salt and chopped cilantro.

9. Mix and then store in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to let flavors meld.