I have to confess that the first time I heard about Hot Buttered Rum it sounded . . . odd. Rum? With butter? Even Bacardi 151 on a freezing cold evening in January after a day spent skiing sounded odd in the context of melted butter. Then, when a friend explained that it really did involve rum with melted butter and spices and sugar, I thought it sounded less than appetizing. Essentially, the traditional recipe for Hot Buttered Rum is a hot toddy made with rum.
Hot Buttered Rum is made by adding a batter to rum, and sometimes, hot water. You make the batter by mixing butter with sugar and spices. You add a few spoons of the butter mixture (usually referred to as Hot Buttered Rum batter) to a mug, and then add a shot or two of rum, and top off the mug with boiling water. Stir gently, and serve. Generally the recipes for Hot Buttered Rum call for a dark rum; my local experts recommend Myers Dark Rum. Some favor spiced rum variants, and at least one aficionado praises Bacardi 151 after a day of skiing and no plans to leave the comfort of hearth and home.
But when another friend told me about the Hot Buttered Rum variant that used ice cream, I was appalled. It sounded awful, and the actual batter looked revolting. I was wrong. Having tried the ice cream varient I am now a convert to Hot Buttered Rum, and plan on making them a Winter holiday tradition, along with Smoking Bishop.
There are of course lots of variations. Here's a very traditional recipe for Hot Buttered Rum. Here's version for the crock pot that uses heavy cream in the batter, and you top the mug with a scoop of ice cream. Here's a version designed for the crock pot, and here's one without the rum. A similar, but unrelated drink, is the Tom and Jerry.
While Hot Buttered Rum is traditionally served as an apres ski beverage, I'm thinking it's a lovely tradition to make a batch to enjoy while trimming the tree or decorating for the holidays. The batter will keep for some time in the refrigerator so you don't have to use it all at once. Many stores also sell pre-made batter during the winter months; look in the deli and ice cream sections. The recipe I'll be using, and the one that firmly convinced me that Hot Buttered Rum is a lovely beverage is this one, made with ice cream.