Today I would like to share a new feature on Nectar, "Be My Guest". Every once in a while I will invite one of my favorite foodies to share a favorite seasonal recipe and a favorite playlist (favoite is one of my favorite words by the way). Our first guest is not only an amazingly talented photographer, she is also a very good friend. I've known Jen online for several years, but we became close when we moved to Brooklyn. She photographs with passion and soul and has transformed the way we look at artisans with her incredibly beautiful The Makers Project. 

 

Jen says: "Growing up, every winter, my dad would make a batch of his famous Hot Buttered Rum. He was usually strictly a beer man, but that would change during the colder months. He would make a large batch of the hot buttered batter and store it in the freezer, taking it out to indulge on the coldest of nights. I always thought the idea of drinking hot butter was awful and didn't join in these festivities, until last year, that is.  For some reason, last winter when I was visiting, the smell of the hot butter got to me. It smelled delicious. I decided to try a sip of the concoction. Wow-it was amazing! It was very decedent, and only to be enjoyed on the rare occasion and on the coldest of the cold nights.

This year I decided to put my own spin on it and add a bit of maple and ginger syrup, two of my favorite winter flavors. This will make a batch large enough to share a few drinks with friends, but not too large as to over-indulge." 

MAPLE GINGER HOT BUTTERED RUM

1 c. sugar

¾ c. pure maple syrup 

2 c. brown sugar

2 cups butter

4 cups vanilla ice cream

2 Tbs Morris Kitchen ginger syrup (optional)

rum

water

nutmeg

Combine sugar, maple syrup, brown sugar, ginger syrup and butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted (6-8 min). 

Combine cooked mixture with ice cream in a large mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth (1-2 min). Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks or frozen up to one month.

For each serving, fill one-quarter of a mug with mixture, add one ounce (or more) rum and three-quarters of a cup of boiling water. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

"Best when enjoyed listening to my mix for a cold winter’s night..." - Jen Causey

 

SONGS FOR A COLD WINTER NIGHT

One Day : Sharon Van Etten

White Winter Hymnal : Fleet Foxes

Reason To Believe : Bruce Springsteen

Howlin' For You : The Black Keys

Red, Red : Doug Burr

If You Need Me : The Rolling Stones

January Hymn : The Decemberists

Look at Miss Ohio : Gillian Welch

Terrible Love : The National

I Can See The Pines Are Dancing : AA Bondy

Come Talk To Me : Bon Iver

Listen here.

*All photos by Jen Causey.

Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and music with us Jen! Look for our next guest in the New Year!

Comments

[jennifer]

This looks delicious! Love the photos...

[lynn @ the actor's diet]

i love jen's site!

[Ladomestique]

What a great way to start- I love Jen Causey's work! I've got some rum in the cupboard and can't wait to try a hot buttered rum tomorrow night (snow is in the forecast).

[Toni]

I love that photo with the books, wonderful!

Had to let you know Jen that I was so inspired to grind my chocolate chips from your oatmeal cookie recipe-that I got work in the kitchen with my own concoction w/ ground chocolate chips! You can take peek here if you'd like:

http://www.toniatporridge.com/2011/12/oatmeal-cookies-my-lux-version.html#comment-form

[Natashia@foodonpaper]

My partner would love this! Especially using Sailor Jerry's. Beautiful photos!

[beth]

just beautiful.

[jen a]

jen - she accessorized well, yes ;)

lyn and ladomestique - so happy you enjoyed it!

toni - looks so good - and you and i are so on the same page - put the cookies that will appear on the blog tomorrow in a mason jar too ;)

natashia and beth - she's amazing! ;)

[jen]

thanks for having me jen! xo

[Diana Bonyhadi]

loving your blog.
would love to make the music link work - somehow it doesn't make a smooth connection to spotify. Would you be interested in posting another way to link.

[jen a]

hi diana - hmmm... i just tried it and it connected. do you have spotify downloaded on your computer?

[art and lemons]

Love this new series & Jen's contribution is lovely in every detail.