Dec. 11, 2008

I know, I know ... it's been ages since I last checked in, but I've been really busy. Honest, no slacking off! I was just working at my paying job, so I can afford my little 'blog hobby'.

I'm trying to do better in the future and not let so much time pass. Promise ... I will try. What prompted me to write again is that Jerry, my most wonderful web magician (http://www.CNTenterprise.com) showed me how many of you have checked my site and where you're going and what you're looking for. All I have to say is, you guys are a bunch of lushes, and .... I LOVE IT!!!

The stuff researched the most, according to Jerry, is my egg liqueur recipe - it's a good one for sure, but who would have guessed that you like the stuff that much. So I need to come up with another goodie--laced with liqueur of course. How about ... a hot buttered rum? With winter coming, what is nicer than a deliciously smooth, hot cup of rummy something? This is the ultimate sin-full sip and well worth the calories.

I was introduced to this cup of heaven many years ago when I was still working as a flight attendant for Pan Am. I was on a layover in Portland, Oregon during a 2 week Sydney trip (we used to fly New York to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Portland, Portland to Hawaii, Hawaii to New Zealand, New Zealand to Sydney and back). Our captain was from Portland and had a little horse farm just outside of town. We had a ball riding all day but it was also quite cold ... so to help us forget our cold hands and increasingly sore butts - he surprised us with a thermos of his "secret formula" hot buttered rum. Secret? My foot (more like my ass). Of course I got the recipe! And now I'm sharing it with you.

You will notice that I'm using Saigon cinnamon in this recipe. Of course you can use any cinnamon you have on hand but a little while back I worked with Johnny Iuzzini, the fabulous and very handsome pastry wizard of Jean George Restaurant in NYC (http://www. johnnyiuzzini.com/) on our show, the "FOX Morning Show with Mike and Juliet" (http://www.MandJshow.com). Johnny explained to me that Saigon cinnamon has a higher oil content than regular cinnamon and therefore is more aromatic. Well, I tried it and I am not going back to the 'other stuff'. I am a Saigon cinnamon convert. Thanks Johnny!

~ Click on the recipe ~