The universal hack to making literally anything taste great is to combine four foundational elements: fat, sugar, salt and acid. Humans are hardwired to drool over this combination when it slips across our palates. That’s precisely why the Hot Buttered Rum is an undeniably delicious cocktail when done right (many recipes are questionable, but not this one), and anyone who says they don’t go weak at the knees for a drive-through cheeseburger (with the pickle!) is a damn liar. For shame!
Harking all the way back to the freezing winter nights of 18th-century New England, the Hot Buttered Rum might just be the original winter warmer. But it wasn’t until the 1930s – when it featured in Kenneth Roberts’ French and Indian War novel Northwest Passage – that it really hit the big time as a darling of America’s burgeoning tiki-bar scene.
Half the recipe is in the name, but the addition of clove, orange, salt, a dash of apricot brandy and grated nutmeg as a garnish makes for a near-peerless winter nightcap. If a centuries-old mug of foamy, fatty, buttery rum doesn’t sound like the perfect winter’s night in, we honestly don’t know what does.
Cosy on down with a good book (Northwest Passage works) and our big-batch take on this cool-weather classic. The best bit is it’s an absolute cinch – just add all the ingredients to a saucepan, heat and serve.
