Ingredients

4 cups (1 L) cider 
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons (30 mL) honey
1 tablespoon (15 mL) lemon juice
4 teaspoons (20 mL) butter
¼ cup (60 mL) brown sugar
¼ cup (60 mL) rum
Whipping cream 

Directions

Heat cider in a small saucepan over low heat; add cinnamon sticks, honey and lemon juice. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture to remove the solids.

Combine butter with brown sugar (this prevents the butter from floating on top of the liquid like an oil slick); add it to the hot cider.

Pour the mixture into mugs, and top up with rum. For extra decadence, top with a dollop of whipping cream-this is symbolically hopeful: beneath the snowcaps of winter's cool mantle lies the promise of summer's warmth.

Serves 4.