Hot Buttered Rum

Today in St. Louis, MO we had a few snow flurries. It's almost Christmas and shoppers were hustling and bustling about in the chill to get the last few gifts on their lists, myself included. After spending a cold Winter day braving the holiday crowds and elements, nothing sounds more comforting than a warm, inviting mug of hot buttered rum.

Hot Buttered Rum (for two)

5 (or so) allspice berries, 4 (or so) cloves, 1/3 (or so) of a cinnamon stick

Pulverize the spices into small chunks with a mortar and pestle and add to 2 cups of boiling water.

Stir and set aside.

In two pre-warmed mugs use a channel knife to cut a swath of orange zest and lemon zest into each cup.

(Be sure to get the oils that spray forth into the mugs as well.)

Grate a bit of nutmeg into each mug.

Add 1 tsp of butter to the bottom of each mug.

Add 1 to 1.5 tsp of brown sugar to each mug.

Add 1 to 1.5 tsp of demerara sugar to each mug.

Add 2 oz good dark rum (I used Barbancourt 8-year-old) to each mug.

Stir the spice and hot water mixture and measure out 6 oz for each mug.

Pour the hot water into each mug, stirring to melt the butter.

The result should be a hot, spicy-sweet, rumlicious beverage with a hint of citrus and creamy foam on top--perfect for warming up while the wind and snow blows outside.

Cheers! ~Dr. Cocktation