Hot Buttered Rum

I realize that this is a grillin thread and I will get back to that this weekend (both chicken spedini and chicken cordon bleu on the grill!!!), but the holiday season is in full effect. Tons of Christmas and Holiday parties in the next few weeks. Wanna be a rock star at one of these? The I give you Hot Buttered Rum. And this is so easy that it's ridiculous. Sorry no pics, but it so easy you won't need them.

This is the perfect Holiday drink. I think this is the drink equivalent to comfort food. It's a comfort drink. The fact that the drink is warmed plus the rum just warms the body all over.

2 cups of firmly-packed brown sugar
1 stick butter
1 pinch salt
3 sticks cinnamon
6 cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 cups rum (more if you like)
Topping: Whipped cream, ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients (except rum and topping) in a crock pot and add 2 quarts of water.
2. Stir well to dissolve sugar.
3. Set crock on low for 5 hours - stirring a few times throughout the process.
4. After 5 hours add the rum. If you add the rum at the beginning the alcohol will evaporate out.
5. At this point just stir in the rum and get the mixture back up to heat.
6. Use a ladle to put the Hot Buttered Rum into cups, add a dollop of whipped cream and grate some fresh nutmeg onto the whipped cream. An extra stick of cinnamon in each cup is a nice touch too.

I'm telling you, if you take this to a holiday party you will be loved and adored by your friends and relatives. And if you serve this at a holiday party you are hosting your entire place will just ooze with the scent of the holiday season. This is better than any holiday potpourri on the market.