A Steamy Sip…
Hot Buttered Cherry Rum
Inspired by the layered complexity and underlying sweetness of All Fours, this cocktail is a playful nod to the protagonist's journey. A hot drink that captures the character's messy yet determined nature, it begins with rich, dark rum—a nod to her fixation on her 'bum' and the novel's sensual undertones. Warm butter and cherry add comforting indulgence, reflecting her junk food obsession, while whipped cream and ice cream bring a touch of guilty pleasure. The deep, earthy notes of vanilla beans (substituting for Tonka beans, which are illegal in the United States), and the fragrant scent of dark honey enhance the cherries, echoing the "vision" for her remodeled motel room. Each sip is as layered and intriguing as the character herself. This drink is as hot and bothered as the title suggests—a perfect companion for getting lost in the pages of July’s witty, bold, and self-indulgent narrative.
This cocktail is a cross between Nick Hydro’s Hot Buttered Rum (Painter’s Tavern Hudson, NY), as noted in Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology, and Kevin Diedrich’s Hot Buttered Pisco, as indicated in Jim Meehan’s The PDT Cocktail Book.
Ingredients:
1 tsp honey
2 ounces dark rumor spiced rum
3 tsp of Vanilla Cherry Butter (heated or at room temperature)
4 ounces hot water
Plus 1 Maraschino cherry and lightly sweetenwhipped cream for garnish
Place the honey and hot water in a mug and stir well to dissolve the honey. Add the rum and the Vanilla Cherry Butter. Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a cherry.
Vanilla Cherry Butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 pint Haagen-Dazs Cherry Vanilla ice cream
1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
1 tsp honey
Add butter, vanilla bean, and honey to the pot and heat until they melt over medium heat. Then add brown sugar and stir until the lumps are gone. Add the ice cream and stir until smooth and thick. Strain out cherries from ice cream. Use three teaspoons for the hot buttered cherry rum beverage and store the remainder in a nonreactive container in the freezer.
