Virgin Hot-Buttered Rum/Brandy (no alcohol)

Simple as can be. That old north wind is blowing in Bellingham right now, and hot-buttered rum hits the spot, especially if you've been out in the cold.

1.) Go to the grocery store and purchase some hot-buttered rum batter. Harvey's is a popular brand, but Haggen makes their own this time of year, as well. I think Reser's also makes it (I'm a Harvey's man, myself).

2.) Go to the spices section and pick up a bottle of rum or brandy flavoring, or both (Locals: Fred Meyer has both varieties).

3.) Prepare according to instructions, substituting a few drops of the flavoring for the booze.

4.) Sprinkle a bit of cinammon and/or nutmeg on top, as you like it. Garnish with cinammon stick and/or lemon.

5.) Be warm, and make merry!

If you prefer alcohol in it...well, you know what to do. :)

How to make English Christmas Punch

ENGLISH CHRISTMAS PUNCH

Ingredients
• 3 cups strong tea
• 2 750-ml. bottles dry red wine
• 1 750-ml. bottle dark rum
• 1 lb. superfine sugar
Juice of 1 large orange
Juice of 1 lemon

Mixing instructions:
Heat wine, tea and fruit juices in a chafing dish or saucepan, but do not boil. This punch may be served from the chafing dish or transferred to a heatproof punch bowl. Put sugar into a large ladle and saturate with rum. If ladle is not large enough for all the sugar, put remainder in punch bowl. Ignite rum in ladle and pour blazing into punch. Stir well, extinguish flames, and then pour remainder of rum into punch. Stir again and serve. Makes about 27 servings.

Gluhwein: German Spiced Wine

I've just been made aware of yet another holiday drink, which seems similar to Potus Ypocras; both most likely herald back to the Roman Empire, where mulled wines were also enjoyed. You may buy prepared gluhwein syrup online, here:

http://www.gluhwein.net/

And here is a recipe for making it at home. Personal websearches should almost certainly yield even more variants on the theme.