Hot Buttered Rum

 

 

 

"No Matter how little money and how few possessions, you own, having a dog makes you rich."

-Louis Sabin

 

 

My dogs are sick. I mentioned it on Facebook earlier today. Thank you everyone for the words of kindness, I so appreciate it. Both of them are sick, however Lucien is the sickest. He even threw up water earlier. Now I'm giving him ORT. Oral re-hydration therapy. (Per my husband, the nurse.) A fancy way of saying I'm giving him a little water in a syringe every hour so he doesn't get dehydrated. That's what they do for little babies when they are sick in the hospital. And Lucien is my little baby, so I need to give him lots of love and care.

 

Anyway, I was supposed to make cookies today and tell you all about them. That didn't happen. I feel like I need to sit here and stare at the dog. However, I was able to get away and mix up this quick drink. I thought, a drink, that's what I could use right now.

The ingredients

 

 

A nice warm drink. A nice, delicious, yummy warm cocktail. This drink is just wonderful. I love hot buttered rum and order it when I see it on a menu.

 

All whipped up

I've never made it myself until now. I was looking through recipes on Saveur.com and came across this one. I'm so glad I made it. It's tasty. Sweet with some spice. It's a nice change from drinking hot chocolate, or cider. Both of which I've been drinking a lot of lately.

I love it that you mix up the spiced butter and keep it in the fridge to be used later. So if you have an unexpected guest and want to offer them a little cordial, you're ready to go. This would also be great at a holiday party. And you don't even need to use rum. I used bourbon the second time of making this and it's just as delicious.

Perfect for a night sitting with your dogs, by the Christmas tree, hoping for a Christmas miracle that they start feeling better very soon.

Tuesday December 11th is my birthday, everybody! I'm celebrating by offering a coupon code for 20% off at my shop, House of Lucien! Enter coupon code BIRTHDAY2012, this offer is good on anything! It will be good through Wednesday, December 12th.

Our Christmas Tree

Vintage Haviland, Limoges teacup and silver tray available at my Etsy Shop, House of Lucien.

Hot Buttered Rum

adapted from Saveur.com

Ingredients

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) (170 g.) butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 g.) packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

pinch of salt

Rum


Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, add the butter, brown sugar, spices and a pinch of salt and beat until combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix again until fluffy.

Keep stored in the fridge when not in use. Can be stored for two weeks, refrigerated.

To make a hot buttered rum: Add 1 oz. to 1 1/2 oz. of rum to an 8 oz. mug (or slightly larger.) Add 2 Tablespoons of the spiced butter to the mug. Fill the mug with hot water, stir, and serve.

Lavender Vodka

"If you must love your neighbor as yourself, it is at least as fair to love yourself as your neighbor."

~Nicholas de Chamfort

Time for another instalment from my Cool Stuff series where I feature stuff I love, mostly handmade, and a drink recipe! I vowed to write these every weekend, but I missed a few, so let's just say I'm going to do it whenever it happens. I don't like to make rules, or abide by them, for that matter.

I got this lavender vodka idea from Mindy at Rindy Mae in her Annual Christmas Gift Exchange post where she talks about how she made lavender infused vodka as a Christmas gift. She mentioned it in the comments of my Lavender Lemonade, and I thought, "What a great idea!" I made some, added it to the lavender lemonade, and wow, it's just heaven in a glass. Such a great drink for a hot summer night. So I made some more to take a photo of and share with you! (Since I love you so much.)  And hey, I'm going to drink it now!

Thanks for the idea, Mindy!

Recipe below, but first, here's some cool stuff.

From The Kitchen Of Personalized Labels Label your jam or homemade bread with style with these made for you labels, by Curious London

Canvas Messenger Bag, Hand Painted ..And the sign said... From the maker -"This French phrase basically translates to “No campers or nomads permitted.”When I saw a photo of this actual French sign I knew I had to paint it on a canvas bag. So here’s my tribute to all the campers, nomads and gypsies everywhere! And with this bag – you are permitted to carry it Everywhere!! "  By CLP Studio- I love it!

Iphone 4 Case-pink butterfly-sparkle case-glittery - What a pretty case for your Iphone!  by Vintage Chic Images

30 Permanent Self Adhesive Chalkboard Labels- By JS Crafty Studio - I see these all over, and every time I do, I just love them! Gotta get me some, they're so clever for jars and storage.

Vintage Map Thank You Stickers, package of 20 handwritten stickers calligraphy- by KisforCalligraphy - I love these handmade stickers, and everything else that comes from this shop! I ordered a handmade custom stamp from her, and I love it!

Vintage Liqueur Glasses available at my Etsy shop, House of Lucien.

 

Never miss a post! Like The Alchemist on Facebook!

 

You don't exactly need a recipe for infusing vodka. Add some flavored stuff to vodka (here it would be the lavender), shake it up, wait a few days, and it will be flavored. If you've never done it before maybe you might want to follow some loose guidelines, so I've provided a recipe below. When I've done this I haven't made a full bottle, I've added about a teaspoon of lavender flowers to about a cup of vodka, and shook it up whenever I thought about it, waited for 2 days and it's ready. Add it to my Lavender Lemonade and experience total bliss in a glass.




Lavender Vodka

Recipe from Just A Pinch


Ingredients


1 750 ml bottle vodka

2 Tablespoons dried lavender

Directions

Place lavender in a clean 1-quart jar. Using a wooden spoon, lightly crush lavender flowers against the side of the jar after adding vodka.

Cover jar tightly with a non metallic lid (or cover jar with plastic wrap and tightly seal with a metal lid). Let stand in the freezer for 4 days.

Pour vodka through a fine mesh sieve to remove all solids. Return infused vodka to original bottle. Or to give as a gift, pour infused vodka into a decorative jar. Label and seal. Place jar in the freezer up to 3 months to store.

Honeydew Ice

"Women, melons, and cheese should be chosen by weight."

-Spanish Proverb

Goodness it's been hot here! These 80 degrees F. (27 degrees C.) days are getting to me.

I saw these loose recipe cards in a free pile at a church sale and I rescued them.

I'm glad I did, because this really hits the spot on a warm day. Not exactly a recipe, more of an idea, or a reminder. "Hey remember that you can blend fruit, add sugar and freeze and it will be delicious?" "Oh, right, I forgot, thanks for the reminder." That's sort of the conversation I had in my mind about this.

Perhaps this is as much as a recipe as Paula Deen's English Peas. There is much controversy (and humor) about the simple recipe. For me and my honeydew ice, I'll risk the mocking

Cutting up the honeydew

Call it ice, call it granita, no matter. It's a great idea for any fruit on a hot day. Especially since it's so easy. The last thing anyone wants to do in the heat is cook, or do any work for that matter.

Blending it up to a puree

I like to relax in the heat with something frozen and cold.

Pour in a shallow dish

A little alcohol involved doesn't hurt either. Imagine a shot of Midori Melon liqueur poured over this, man my mouth is just watering thinking about it. (I would indulge my craving, but alas, no Midori in the house.)

Wait an hour, scrape it up while it's still in the freezer

Or some Sprite can be poured over for a delicious slushy-ish concoction.

Wait a little longer, scrape it up some more and it's ready!

However you eat this, plain or with accoutrement's it's absolutely perfect on a hot day.

A great new book I bought for quotes from the kitchen

The quote about melons at the top of this post is from this book I recently purchased called A Commonplace Book of Cookery: A Collection of Proverbs, Anecdotes, Opinions and Obscure Facts on Food, Drink, Cooks, Cooking, Dining, Diners & Dieters, dating from ancient times to the present. It's a fantastic book filled with great food quotes, which I love since I start each of my posts with a quote. I'm really loving this book.

Quilted bowls with Fleur De lis and flower details are available at my Etsy Shop, House Of Lucien.



I'm still adding items to my Etsy shop. It was my plan to get the banner up at my shop, finish those type of details then announce it here and say something like, "O.K.! It's perfect! Everyone go look at my shiny new Etsy Shop! Maybe that day will come, but for now I'm still working on it. By the time I'm done I'll have well over 100 items and I'll have a beautiful banner. But I still invite you to visit. I am really proud of the items I offer, they are wonderful vintage housewares. I do free gift wrapping with fabulous ribbon, (I actually enjoy gift wrapping and I sort of collect beautiful ribbon.) And I'm happy to enclose a message from the sender to the recipient. I make it easy to send a gift to someone you love. (Or don't love, that's o.k. too.)






Honeydew Ice

This can be made with any fruit, really. Recently I've done this with strawberries (I strain it to remove the seeds after blended,) papaya (with lots of lime juice) cantelope and pineapple.  basically if I have fruit in the fridge, I blend it and freeze it in this manner. I just taste it after blending and add sweetner to taste.


Ingredients

One honeydew melon- seeds removed and cubed

1/3- 2/3 rds a cup (80 ml - 160 ml) of Honey - or you can use sugar if you prefer- the amount will be determined by your taste as well as how sweet your fruit is.

Juice of one lime

Shots of Midori Melon liqueur- Optional

Sprite- Optional

Directions

Blend the honeydew melon cubes in a blender till it's very pureed, a few minutes. Add the lime juice and honey (or sugar) (start with the lesser amount, then taste it and see if it's sweet enough for your taste, if not add more till it's as sweet as you like,) Blend well again.

Pour into a shallow container (I used a 9x13 pan) and place in the freezer.

After about an hour in the freezer, scrape it with a fork. 30 minutes later scrape it again. Keep scraping at 30 minute intervals until it's as frozen as you want it. Scoop it up in bowls and serve.

Alternately, scoop it up into wine glasses or another type of glass and pour either a shot of Midori, melon liqueur (or whatever kind of liqueur you choose)  over it, or you can pour sprite over it for a sophisticated kind of slushy.

If it gets too hard in the freezer, just set it out on the counter to thaw for 10 minutes or until it's soft enough to scoop.

Fresh Watermelon Cocktail/Agua Fresca

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal."

 ~From a headstone in Ireland

Happy Memorial Day weekend! I'm still not feeling great from my car accident, but I did have enough energy to make this delicious drink. Watermelon just screams summer, doesn't it?

I wish it felt like summer here in Western Washington, not yet.  But just eating and drinking watermelon gives me hope that the sun will be coming out soon!

This drink is so refreshing. I think I'm going to make it all summer using whatever liquor I want. Today I used rum, later I will use tequila or vodka, or maybe even something like Midori. The possibilities are endless.

I came home the other day to find a chicken sitting waiting for me at the front door I think she missed me.

Watermelon Cocktail

Lately I've been making this without alcohol, without it, it's more of an agua fresca. Also, add whatever sweetner you like, lately I've been using honey.

makes 4 drinks


Ingredients

4 cups (1 liter) seedless watermelon, cubed

4 ounces (118 ml.) (4 shots) rum, or you can use vodka or tequila or any liquor that suits your fancy - optional

1/4 cup (84 ml.) lime juice

1/4 cup (50 g.) - 1/2 cup (100 g.) sugar - depending on your taste - or use whatever sweetner you like, I've been using honey lately

2 cups (500 ml)  ice cubes

4 lime slices (optional)

Directions

Place everything besides the lime slices in the blender and let 'er rip. It's best to put the watermelon and lime juice first, then sweetner, then ice.

Strain it to remove the small bits of seeds, then pour into glasses and garnish with a lime slice if you wish.