Screech is Newfoundland’s famous dark rum, and its story is tied to the salt fish trade — after the Second World War, Caribbean rum came back to St. John’s in the holds of ships that had carried cod south. Newfoundlanders adopted it with a ceremony all their own: newcomers were ‘screeched in’ with a kiss of the cod and a mouthful of the rum. Somewhere along the way, someone poured it into a cake, and the kitchen party has never been the same.
What makes it great is the way the warm, spiced rum soaks into a tender, buttery crumb and a crown of toasted pecans, making every slice moist and fragrant. It’s rich enough for a celebration but simple enough to throw together for company. The cake keeps for days wrapped in foil — if it lasts that long — and a slice with a cup of tea is a little taste of the Rock wherever you are.
