Rum Butter
Published on 25 December 2024 by Andrew Owen (2 minutes)
Brandy butter is the traditional accompaniment to Christmas Pudding. But Cumberland (now a part of Cumbria) was the home of the rum trade, centered on the port of Whitehaven. And even today, traditionalists make rum butter instead. I had a memorable time in and around the town in 2005 as part of the crew of the Jeanie Johnston. We were there for the maritime festival. I recall rowing a boat in the Lake District, visiting the Cars of the Stars Motor Museum, Jennings Brewery and of course the Rum Story. I also remember the reappearance of the HM Bark Endeavour replica’s marquee in my life and somehow managing to fit a minibus in a parking space designed for a normal car. But the main thing I remember about that summer was making two new old friends.
When I was a kid, my mom’s go to cooking reference was Marguerite Patten’s “Every Day Cook Book” (in color). Originally published in 1968, it was reprinted as “American Every Day Cook Book” (I hope they changed the liquid measures from Imperial to American), and got a second edition in 1976. I have the original (my third copy), from which this recipe is adapted. If you use a vanilla spiced rum (my favorite is Kraken Original), you can leave out the vanilla essence.
Cream the butter, then add the sugar, then add the vanilla rum.