Brand: Big Bamboo
Place of Purchase: Oriental Suppermarket in Syracuse, NY
Country/Region of Origin: Maybe Jamaica?
Tasting Conditions: Chilled in a glass
Price in New York: $1.99 for 11 oz.
Description: A drink to put lead in your pencil.
Flavor: An egg-free nog, heavy on the nutmeg and cloves
Mouth-feel: Creamy and frothy, with lumps.
Aroma: Strong nutmeg and clove, mild coconut
Notes: I had no idea what I was getting into. I knew that Irish Moss was some kind of herbal aphrodisiac, but when I first poured the beige, foamy, lumpy mess into my anchor measuring glass, I'll admit I was scared. Still, for my readers, I pressed on. The flavor wasn't bad. Mostly whipped sugar and milk, Big Bamboo's Jamaican Irish Moss Vanilla Drink tasted pretty close to egg nog. There were some key differences. One, this drink was much lighter. Egg nog tends to be stick and clingy. This drink was creamy but whipped enough to maintain a lighter body. The egg flavors were gone, as well, and the spice profile leaned more towards cloves. The actual drink made fresh would contain Jamaican Irish moss, a kind of seaweed with a high carrageenan content. This polysaccharide acts as a thickening agent in the spiced milk beverage. Big Bamboo's mix contains several other thickeners and emulsifiers to maintain consistent body. Still, there is enough carrageennan to clump up with the coconut milk added for fat content. This is also NOT a low calorie drink. Still, for what it's worth, it tasted pretty durned good.
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