Ho-Ho-Ho and a mug of Hot Buttered Rum
Do you remember that warm Saturday in the middle of December when the temperature hit 70 degrees? It was the perfect day to take our out-of-state visitors to the Baltimore Inner Harbor and Fell’s Point. They had a great time exploring the area, but I opted out of the Inner Harbor exploration and found a great bench facing the harbor instead. I closed my eyes and let the sun’s rays warm my face. My mind’s eye began imagining Baltimore Harbor of old: taverns, warehouses and shoddy housing lining the harbor while tall ships, schooners, four-mast barks and Baltimore Clippers arrived and departed with ease. Hearty sailors, stevedores and muscled dockworkers unloading exotic cargo from foreign ports from all over the world and then reloading them with American goods. In the middle of it all was a promise of a bottle of good dark rum.
Here is a recipe for hot buttered rum that I found in my Seattle recipes (a city that has its own history of sailors, harbors and dark rum).
Hot Buttered Rum: 1970s, Seattle, Washington
- Cream 1lb. butter at room temperature
- Mix with 1lb. brown sugar, either dark or light
- Melt 1quart vanilla ice cream at room temperature
- Mix well together until smooth. Store in refrigerator until almost firm.
- Bottle of dark rum
- Boiling water
- Cinnamon sticks
Spoon about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture into heat resistant mugs.
Pour about 3 ounces of rum into each mug (filling about halfway).
Top with boiling water. Add cinnamon sticks for stirring.
Serve immediately.
Several updated recipes include these options:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- Pinch ground clove
- If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt
- For sugar: use a combination of white and brown sugar
Another historical source of spirits for Baltimore: The principal industries in the Harbaugh Valley were agriculture, lumbering and tanning leather. Before the railroad was built to Frederick nearly every farm had a still house. The product of their farm being converted into whiskey and brandy, which was hauled to Baltimore in wagons. Emmitsburg Area Historical Societytimes
Rumor has it there are still sources available but you don’t won’t need a wagon.
What is Apple Pandowdy? A Pennsylvania Dutch dessert consisting of apples, flavoring, sugar, butter and molasses, baked in a deep dish that is line and covered with pastry. Before it is finished baking you “dowdy” the dish by cutting the crust into the apples. Interesting? Facts About Food Nobody Taught You, Reader’s Digest, 1977
Ann Marie Bezayiff received her BA and MEd from the University of Washington in Seattle. She is an author, blogger, columnist and speaker. Her columns, “From the Olive Orchard” and “Recycled Recipes from Vintage Boxes”, appear in newspapers, newsletters and on Internet sites. Ann Marie has also demonstrated her recipes on local television. Currently she divides her time between Western Maryland and Texas.