To me, the holidays are about being around family and friends; hanging lights, trimming the tree, singing carols and drinking the old fashion cocktails of the season. With times being what they are, in this busy life, you may never even have had the privilege, or the joy, of drinking a fresh cup of homemade Eggnog. You may not even know that a Tom and Jerry is, not just a cartoon, a classic Christmas cocktail.
This drink took the forties and fifties by storm, when drunk in many a Hollywood holiday film (even though it has been a traditional yuletide beverage since 1820 when Pierce Egan wrote Life in London, or The Day and Night Scenes of Jerry Hawthorn Esq. and his Elegant Friend Corinthian Tom; Pierce wanted to promote his book so why not invent a cocktail…best idea ever!)
You may have even sung, “Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green; here we come a-wand’ring so fair to be seen.” but you may not have known that Wassail is a spiced punch that was given to the original carolers or (to put it bluntly) the peasants, who would stand outside and sing for a hot drink and meal at the feudal lords home. The singing made it less like begging and so two traditions were born, Wassail and Carols! I love to share these classics that warm you from your fingers to your toes and fill you with holiday cheer even when battling all the stresses that this time of year can sometimes bring.
So my gift to you my readers this the eve of Christmas Eve, is the American holiday classic, Hot Buttered Rum. This cocktail gets its roots from way back in the colonial times when molasses started being imported in the 1650’s and those snappy colonials started adding it to everything, especially their spirited drinks.
When the weather turned cold and the wind came whipping off the big pond, they would serve their rum hot with spices, molasses and a little butter to achieve a creamy richness and the Hot Buttered Rum was born.
You will need
- 4 oz of unsalted butter – at room temperature
- 1 cup of brown sugar (or white sugar and molasses)
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon of salt
- Dark aged or Spiced Rum
- Cinnamon sticks – optional
To Make The Butter Whip the butter all the ingredients together in a bowl until fully combined Refrigerate for later use
The Drink
- Place 2 tablespoons of butter mixture into a mug
- Pour hot water or hot cider (I prefer cider) on top of the utter mixture
- Stir until it is completely dissolved
- Add 1.5oz dark (or spiced) rum
- Stir to incorporate all the flavors
- Add a little sprinkle of nutmeg
- Serve with a stick of cinnamon to garnish and to use as a stir stick.
Happy Holidays and Happy Sipping! Marcella Rose 
Marcella began cooking early, learning from her self-taught mom who prepared brilliant meals nightly. At thirteen, cooking on a Ranch, she learned how to get creative in the kitchen. With an eye for the beautiful, a growing palate, and keen organizing skills she soon began hosting parties and catering events. Moving to New York she was graced to have worked with some of the best interior designers in the city. Taking these skills to the Internet with Marcella Rose’s she shares her passion and innovation hoping to inspire the modern woman. Blog: www.marcellaroses.com
Latest posts by Marcella Rose (see all)
- The Best Classic Potato Salad - August 30, 2019
- Easy Valentine’s Brunch - February 10, 2018
- Butter My Hot Rum - December 15, 2017
- Great-Grandmother’s Homemade Irish Soda Bread - March 14, 2017
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