A mid-century standard for cold winter days 9and nights)
Hot buttered rum was originally just that; rum, hot water, and a pat of butter. Stir with a cinnamon stick and you're there. However, I find them a bit bland with the most notable component being that they are quite greasy. However, as this was a staple after dinner drink along with the Flaming Coffee Grog in mid-century Polynesian restaurants, there were (inevitably) quite a few house variations to be found. My favorite is from the Pub & Prow, a Chicago restaurant whose dining room was built to give the diners the impression that they were dining on the deck of Christopher Columbus' flagship the Santa Maria. In trying to find an image of this peculiar dining room, I came across two post cards. They are obviously the same room and both list the same address in Chicago but one calls the restaurant the Pub & Prow while the other calls it the Prow & Pub. The propensity toward confusion and conflict in all things Tiki never ceases to amaze me. I blame the copious amounts of rum involved... but I digress. Regardless of their name, their addition to the Hot Buttered Rum is simply the inclusion of créme de cacao. However, it does a great job of giving the drink depth with a flavor that works well in a warm drink.
As I mentioned in the opening, I don't really like the greasy nature of many hot buttered rums. This version calls for a "pat" of butter as most do. I just cut back on it a bit. I'll do 1/2 of what I'd call a pat if I were putting it on toast. Then again, maybe I use too much on my toast?! Either way, pat to taste. I've also looked and I can't seem to find any specification about what type of butter to use. For what it's worth I use unsalted butter.
Hot Buttered Rum (Pub & Prow version)
Source - Beachbum Berry Remixed, Jeff "Beachbum" Berry
1 ounce dark Jamaican rum*
1 ounce créme de cacao
4 ounces hot water
1 pat of butter*
Pre-heat your mug with hot water. Then dump the warming water and add butter and 4 ounces of hot water. Stir to melt the butter, then add the rum and créme de cacao. Stir to blend it all together. No garnish needed.
*Bamboo Sam's customizations: I prefer Myers for the dark Jamaican rum in this cocktail. The molasses overtones work well with the créme de cacao. As mentioned, I tend to go light on the butter.