Sunday, December 13, 2015

Christmas Traditions

Happy Sunday y'all.  Hope y'all are enjoyin' the Advent Season...   Lord knows we are.

I wanted to take a bit to share a favorite tradition of mine that started way back in 2004 when we were still up in Hell... i mean...  West Virginia.

Hot Buttered Rum.

First of all...  if that name doesn't perk you up I don't know what will.  Over the years, every Christmas season I have made this and served it at at least one party.  Often more.  Now its even more fun because down here in LA no one really knows about it at all.  The recipe has remained largely unchanged... and if you want to try it... I this what I recommend:

3 sticks cinnamon
6 whole cloves
2 hard packed cups Brown Sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 quarts hot water
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) (real butter dammit)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream


Put all that in your crock pot on low for about 5 hours.  You can put it on high for the first hour and then back it down to low for 1 more hour if you're in a hurry.

Once its done at 2 cups of your favorited spiced rum. 

To serve... fill a coffee cup about half full... spray some whip cream on top.. and sprinkle some nutmeg on top of that.

It is amazing.  Seriously.  It is really good.   And... I'm sure you can imagine... it smells up the whole house all day.

16 comments:

WaterBoy said...

Unsalted butter, or leave the pinch of salt out instead.

MichaelJMaier said...

I was going to bitch about a HALF stick of rum til I saw the next ingredient.

But doesn't the alcohol cook out?

Nate said...

add the rum after you cook it.

Bill said...

I honestly did not realize this was a Christmas thing. I thought it was a winter thing, I often have this at New Years. But, yeah, I've done this too. Mulled wine is also good (but more of the women's thing).

I also don't add salt, I use more cinnamon, I use ground clove, and less brown sugar. And, "favorite spiced rum" better mean Captain Morgans!

Hot toddys are also pretty good - honey mixed with hot water, ground cloves, and lemon, mixed with spiced rum.

Bill said...

How this works is you pick some hot drinks as noted above, and put them in a crock pot, with the actual libations on the side (as Nate mentions). Just refill the crock pot after every round of strip poker and you're good to go.

Nate said...

it probably is a winter thing.. but for me its a christmas thing. I have traditionally made it on christmas eve or for various christmas parties.

i don't make it enough. I need to make it more. no doubt.

on the salt... its a pinch. its a chemistry thing to help it from feeling oily when you're drinking it. it doesn't affect the taste unless you over do it.

Susan said...

That is a nice looking recipe for Hot Buttered's. I have noted that recipe for future reference, much appreciated. As for the spiced rum, I have not tried Captain Morgan's yet, but I do like Kraken brand.
For some reason it don't get heartburn after drinking it with either coke or the batter. Also tastes good in cocoa too.

Nate, I think the comment was made only because there are some brands of butter out there that are very salty. So that is why if you use salted butter, you could probably leave out the pinch. Or not.

I also like to toss in a spoon of the batter when making candied/glazed carrots.

Susan said...

One more thing Nate. I know how you and the good Dr. Who like quality ingredients in your cooking. I hope you grind your own nutmeg. The flavor difference is surprisingly huge.

Res Ipsa said...

Nate's method is the best way to serve a group of people. One of the reasons people don't make this more is because doing up a whole bunch at a time can be a pain. Another great way to have hot buttered rum whenever you want it is to make up the butter and spice mixture ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. Going this route means your only about 10 mins away from having one all winter long.

RE: Kraken Rum

I like it too, provided it gets drunk the day you open the bottle, or if you use up in cooking. Otherwise it tends to degrade after its opened, probably a result of being an artificially engineered beverage.

Cheddarman said...


For Stilicho

Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue ridge mountains, Shenandoah river
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

All my memories, they gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrops in my eyes

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

I hear her voice in the mornin' hour she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
And drivin' down the road I get a feeling
That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, West Virginia, mountain momma, oh momma
Take me home, country roads
Take me home, down country roads
Take me home, down country roads

Cheddarman said...

Nate,

more than a few West Virginians would argue that the Old Confederacy begins in West Va....just sayin' on account of all of my Rebel friends there

MichaelJMaier said...

.... I may have been drinking when I posted before.

Half a stick of rum... SMH....

cheddarman said...

My apologies Nate, I do believe I went full Wheeler a few moments ago. However, As a copperhead looking south, it seems as if the Confederacy begins where you hit the "Appalachian" culture belt, West Va, Kentucky. From your neck of the woods lookin' North, I suppose you see it from a very different perspective.

Susan said...

That actually explains a number of things for me Res, thanks.

Res Ipsa said...

That actually explains a number of things for me Res, thanks.

Which part?

yanmaneee said...

nike epic react
golden gooses
christian louboutin outlet
coach outlet sale
cheap nfl jerseys
100% real jordans for cheap
ralph lauren uk
cheap mlb jerseys
nike shoes
yeezy shoes