Hot Buttered Rum

PHOTO by ROSHEILA ROBLES

Back when I was but a barely-legal-to-drink college kid—and when we counted beers by the number we shotgunned, not their caloric damage (glorious)—I decided to zap a bout with the common cold with a bottle of Christian Brothers, a box of Lipton Tea and a bag of lemons. “These are hot toddies,” I informed my pedestrian Coors-swigging friends—which by the end of the night probably sounded more like “Theeeeeessssthhhhh arrrrrrrrre hotttttsthhhhh taaaawwwwwddies,” but that’s just a guess. I. Was. Toasted. Anyway, it was a bad idea—the bottle of Christian Brothers, that is. But taken in moderation (as in, somewhere south of, oh, a few, whatever that means to you), hot toddies—examples include mulled cider, whiskey/tea, Baileys/coffee, whiskey/Ramen broth—are your best friend come these cooler months. Recently, I was turned on to what is probably my favorite toddy to date: hot buttered rum, made with Trader Vic’s “famous” hot buttered rum batter, water and, on this particular occasion, Sailor Jerry rum. A combination of brown sugar, butter and spices, the hot buttered rum batter isn’t kind to your gut—2.5 grams of fat per serving, 1.5 grams saturated—but it is oh-so-delicious, delivering a sweet snap to your gullet quicker than you can say “Scrooged.” Although the stated recipe on the container can be problematic—in that it doesn’t say how much water to add—feel free to use this one, perfected by me and my friends: add 1 Tbs mix to 3/4 cup boiling water, mix well (it takes a bit to dissolve), then add 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup rum (Sailor Jerry preferred, of course), mix again and enjoy!

AVAILABLE AT SELECT BEVMO! LOCATIONS
THE NEAREST WE FOUND WAS 16672 BEACH BLVD • HUNTINGTON BEACH 92647 • 714.842.5117

Tags: college, drinks, hot butter rum, hot toddies, trader vic's