How perfect is this for my "sweet week" - today is Hot Buttered Rum Day! This singular hot drink is possibly the quintessential sweet and soothing drink for this time of year and does an amazing job at warming up the body.
The Hot Buttered Rum is a simple recipe: butter, brown sugar, vanilla, rum, spices and hot water. It's a construction that can be done in minutes and it's likely that all of the ingredients are found right there in your kitchen and bar. However, if you find yourself tippling on this drink often you may want to make a batch of Hot Buttered Rum Mix and keep it on hand because, while the same great tastes are there, it is just a little bit easier. The mix is also ideal when you're hosting any cold weather gathering, is a sultry after dinner drink, and - I wish - more bars could have it on hand for patrons desiring a warmer.
As far as the many rum options go, I prefer a dark rum, like Mount Gay Extra Old or Cruzan Estate 2 YO, because it adds a deeper richness that is a more fitting match for the sugar and butter.
Yet another option for today's "holiday" is to switch the rum for another spirit. While vodka, tequila, and gin are not too desirable in this particular sweet mix, and brandy can be too sweet, whiskey is a perfect candidate. This is evidence in Lance Mayhew's Best Hot Buttered Whiskey recipe, which uses another base mix that includes agave nectar. For that recipe, it's Wild Turkey 101 for me.
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