Winter Chill, Hot Buttered Thrill

By Natalie Bovis-Nelsen (AKA: TheLiquidMuse.com)

Photography by Moshe Zusman

Master mixologist and sommelier Todd Thrasher brings yet another creative twist to a yuletide favorite. HIs recipe is a little labor-intensive, but worth the extra effort—it’s the holiday season, after all! As an alternative, though, you could always bring your loved ones right to the source; Thrasher whips up Cold Buttered Rum at both PX and Restaurant Eve, in Old Town Alexandria.

STEP ONE:
Butter Rum mixture
Melt 1/2 pound salted Kerrygold butter. Add one liter of Captain Morgan rum. Bring the mixture to room temperature, then whisk for 10 minutes, and place in freezer. Allow the fat from the butter to rise to the top and solidify. Skim off, and strain the mixture.

STEP TWO:
Spiced Syrup
2 quarts water
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
10 cloves
1 star-anise pod
1 stick cinnamon
4 all spice, crushed
1 rind of half an orange
Dash of ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, and reduce water to 1 1/2 quarts. Strain.

STEP THREE:
Cold Buttered Rum Cocktail
2 ounces butter rum mixture
1 ounce spiced syrup

Pour over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with orange twist.

(November 2008)

Tags: butter rum, cocktail, Cocktail Corner, rum, spiced syrup