Now that day light savings time has taken effect and fall 2009 will soon be a memory it is time to turn our thoughts to that merriest times of the year – no I am not talking about Christmas, I am singing the praises of Hot Buttered Run Season!!! I have to admit – this is one of my all time favorite drinks bar none.

I am going to show you some variations on HBR’s as well as give you your own mix recipe for use or gifting this drink season.

Okay – first up is a little recipe that I gleaned out of the NY Times last fall. It is fairly labor intensive but it is worth it.

It is aptly titled: Hot Brown Buttered Rum.
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Ingredients:

1 stick butter
16 oz. Dark Rum
2 vanilla beans (calls for Madagascar Beans but I “ain’t so fru fru”)
4 Tbls. loose English Breakfast tea

1. Butter into pan over med. heat. Scrape the vanilla beans seeds into the pan while butter is melting. Cook until butter turns brown (about 5 mins.). Butter should smell “nutty” – you know it ‘s done.

2. Pour Rum into large measuring cup. Add Butter mixture while still hot. Let stand 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge for at least 18 hours.

3. Next day put mixture into the freezer for 30 minutes.  Then strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Strain again through a coffee filter and sieve (it may take more then on filter as it will get gummed up). You have just made Rum infused Butter! Bottle up your bounty, it will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks if it last that long.

4. Prepare your Tea in the traditional way (i.e.: make a pot).

5. Pour yourself a cup of tea (about 4 oz.) and add 1 1/2 oz. of your rum butter. Stir and add 1 tps. Sugar. Garnish with nutmeg and enjoy!!


Here is another variation on the theme: Hot Buttered Cider (thanks Better Homes and Garden!!)

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Ingredients:

8 cups apple cider
2 Tbls. Brown sugar
4 inches stick cinnamon
1 tsp. whole allspice
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 lemon peel cut into strips
2 Tbls. butter
2 oz. dark rum

1. Combine cider and brown sugar into saucepan. Tie cinnamon, cloves, all spice & lemon peel into cheese cloth, basically making a little spice baggie. Toss the spice bag into the cider mixture. Bring it to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for approx. 15 minutes – let the spices mingle with that cider! Remove the spice bag and discard.

2. Pour cider into mug and add a shot of rum. Top with approx. 1/2 tsp. of butter and serve with a cinnamon stick as a stirrer. 


So there you have it, a couple of different variations on a theme. For a traditional style HBR, here is a little Pedersen family recipe that has been handed down for just over two years or so now……. Homemade HBR batter!!
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Ingredients:

1 pound DARK Brown sugar (I have found Molasses Brown sugar to be best)
1/2 Pound salted butter
1 tsp ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. ground Cloves
1 tsp. ground Nutmeg
1 tsp. Vanilla (extract is fine)
1 tsp. ground Cardamom

1. Cream butter in large bowl – like making a cake. Add brown sugar. Mix well. Add all other ingredients and mix up well.

2. Package up in tubs and refrigerate. Should keep for the season or in the freezer indefinitely.


To make yourself a drink, take a shot of dark rum and (depending on how sweet you want your drink) 1 to 2 tsp. of your batter and add it to a glass. Stir in hot water, top with some nutmeg and enjoy the creamy goodness!

So, what have we learned here today? There are many ways to make different type drinks, but they all lead back to the start. Now if you will excuse me, I think I hear my kettle boiling. Until next time – Bottoms up!