After all, Sugar and Water is one of the simplest drink to make in the world, other than bottled water...if you call that a drink.
I dont know why it's called the poor man's beverage, because truth be known, this drink might have originated with the Plantation Owners, except the ice, back in the good old days.
And, these people were far from being poor. You'd be surprised at the social connotation this drink has in Jamaica, too.
While most drinks today are nothing but sugar and water combined with a little coloring and some artificial flavor, it would be like an act of God to ever mention to certain people the they are drinking sugar and water.
If I were to mention soda, lemonade, and other beverages marketed under some fancy name, that reminder would certainly cause a stir, if you will. But this 'bebridge,' as the old people used to say, is not the kind you boast about drinking...No Mon!...it sends a message that you're either too poor, or you're broke. In addition, it's a hush hush to drink sugar and water and eat bulla cake with water crackers.
But be that as it may, on certain days when you're broke, a little sugar & water is a welcomed treat...Yah Mon!
Hey, let's drink and be merry.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Brown Sugar
16 oz. Water
2 cubes of Ice
Mix Brown Sugar in a sixteen ounce glass of water until dissolved, add Ice. And Voila!!!
Poor man beverage is ready.
Squeeze ½ of a lime in this sugar and water solution and Jamaican Lemonade is made.
You dont have to use Brown Sugar to make this drink, you know. Fine granulated white sugar will do just well.
You can even do a variation on this like add a samll amount of lemon juice to some sugar cane juice...not quite the same drink but a good thirst quencher.
Believe me this is a wonderful drink in any tropical weather.