Culinary Tips for the Holidays

An island-inspired technique for better gravies, sauces, and weeknight meals

As the holidays approach and kitchens everywhere start to come alive with the sounds of sizzling pans and roasting vegetables, it’s the perfect time to revisit one of the simplest (and most magical) cooking techniques out there: deglazing.

This is the quiet trick behind silky gravies, glossy pan sauces, and those deeply flavorful drippings that make holiday meals unforgettable. Whether you’re making a quick weeknight dinner or prepping for a full Thanksgiving spread, learning how to lift those caramelized bits from the pan can turn your food from “good” to “wow, this is delicious!”

And yes — wine is great in pan sauces, but around here we love cooking with rum. That’s what The Island Spirit Kitchen is all about. So grab that bottle and let’s bring a little warm, island-inspired flavor to your holiday table.

The best part? You don’t need a complicated recipe or any special skills. A splash of rum loosens the fond, builds flavor, and instantly creates a sauce worth pouring over everything on the plate.

Before the big day arrives, here’s your chance to practice a technique that’s easy, fun, and absolutely game-changing.

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What Is Fond (and Why It Matters)

If you’ve ever looked into a pan after cooking chicken and thought, “Uh oh, it’s stuck,” good news — you just made fond.

Fond is the golden-brown layer that forms as food cooks. It’s packed with concentrated flavor, and when you dissolve it with liquid, it becomes the base of restaurant-style sauces.

Think of it like seasoning you didn’t know you were making.

To get great fond:

• Use stainless steel or cast iron

• Give your food space to brown

• Don’t stir too often

• Cook over medium-high heat

• Avoid adding liquid early

When rum hits the pan, it wakes the fond right up and lifts all those flavors into your sauce.

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How to Deglaze with Rum

Before we get into the steps, here’s the good news: deglazing is much easier than it sounds. If you can brown something in a pan and pour in a splash of liquid, you can do this. Once you understand the rhythm of it, you’ll start seeing opportunities everywhere — from a Tuesday-night sauté to your Thanksgiving roasting pan.

But here’s the real magic: you’re not just cleaning the pan — you’re building a sauce that enhances the very thing you just cooked.

A few browned bits + a splash of rum + a little stock or cream = a fast, beautiful sauce that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.

I’ll show you how to make a simple, reliable, gorgeous pan sauce every single time.