Hot To Trot: A Word on Hot Beverages
>> Picture this. You trudge through the knee-deep snow after a long day of work, back turned against the biting wind. At last you get home and a fire is already crackling. You fold yourself under your cashmere throw and reach for — what? Red wine? Hot tea? We can do better than that! Let’s make some hot buttered rum.
>> I have a close relationship with hot cocktails. I can remember my parents microwaving brandy when they were feeling under the weather, and my grandmother has an amazing secret mulled wine recipe that includes Everclear (she was a pretty cool lady). My first ‘Snuggler’ as an après ski beverage was a nearly religious experience. I have made the simplest of hot toddies using a hot poker submerged in the cocktail to heat it, and I have experimented with 500-person batches of hot cider. In short: these cocktails can bust your flu, warm your caroling chords, make your guests feel at home, or provide just a touch of
nostalgia as a warm nightcap.
>> After all my ‘market research’ in the field of heated alcohol, hot buttered rum remains the ultimate favorite. It allows for quite a bit of personalization, and the silky texture from the butter adds just enough richness to qualify for dessert at a dinner party. This particular recipe requires a bit of work, but from one home barkeep to another, I can assure you it is well worth the efforts. I call this version the Jersey Turnpike.
[try this at home] >> hot buttered rum
Start with a dutch oven or large stock pot and add a stick of butter. Heat over medium until the solids separate and the butter begins to bubble and brown. Add ½ c. brown sugar or honey and stir to combine. Allow this mixture to bubble again. Stir in 1t.vanilla extract or one whole vanilla bean, split. Add 1T whole cloves and 2T freshly chopped ginger. Once the mixture becomes fragrant, add 2 quarts apple cider and 1 quart fresh lemon juice. Allow mixture to boil, then add 2 Earl Grey Tea bags and steep four minutes. Remove the tea bags, add ½ bottle of Laird’s Bonded Applejack and 1 bottle spiced rum–I prefer Cruzan 8-year. Add Angostura bitters to taste. Garnish with an orange wheel.
[Jorie Taylor is a certified sommelier and the bar manager at Cielo at the Four Seasons Hotel.]
