This month, head bartender at Mao Mao Chong, Eric Liu, talks us through his winter warmer – the Hot Butter Rum.
What’s that brown stuff you’re scooping into our glass?
This is a special spiced butter that I keep in the freezer. The main spice is cinnamon but it also has nutmeg, a little bit of chili, a little bit of pepper…
So you’ve already done all the hard work?
Yeah, this is the key! It takes a long time. You have to stir it for an hour to make it fluffy. I make a fresh batch every two weeks – each time I use over two kilos of butter.
What’s next?
You mix it with some boiling water to melt the butter and then add rum – Jamaican rum or any dark rum works. This one’s not on the menu but you can always come and ask me for it.
Wow. That’s great. Really creamy and warming. Can you use the cinnamon stick as a straw?
Sure [laughs], why not. Let me make you something else.
That'd be great. What’s this?
This is a Sour Patch – mushroom bourbon, bison grass vodka, little bit of gin, lemon juice, this syrup [adds syrup]. I’m always making new drinks – I only developed this one a week ago. It’s refreshing but also a good one for winter.
Well it’s a real winner. So, while we’re here: Are we ever going to see a second Mao Mao Chong in Beijing?
I don’t think so. It’s all about quality control so I want to focus on making this place good.
Hot Butter Rum (RMB50) and Sour Patch (RMB55) are both available at Mao Mao Chong (see listing for details)
Photo by Holly Li
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