Thomas & Jeremiah Cocktail

November 8, 2019 by Jennifer

Everywhere I look these days there are apples. Fujis, Honey Crisps, Pippins, Granny Smiths, Crimson Golds, the list goes on and on. We all have our favorites, mine are Honey Crisps and Crimson Golds. But that’s not what I really love. When apples start showing up at markets, I know fresh apple cider is right around the corner. Well, that corner is here and now apple cider is just as available as the apples from which it comes, and I, for one, couldn’t be happier.

I’ve never been a fan of plain apple cider. I prefer it hot and full of spice, which means now is the perfect time to enjoy a glass. There’s a chill in the air and nothing is better than sipping a steaming, hot mug of something when it’s cold outside. While you could drink the cider all on its own, everything is better with a little alcohol. Luckily, this drink from 1941 has two. They’re both rum and blend with the apple cider quite well. I know bourbon or whiskey are usually the liquor of choice when it comes to hot apple cider, but the light rum works amazingly well thanks to the sugar cane.

See, most rum comes from sugar and sugar cane, and when it’s distilled, these wonderful caramel and vanilla flavors come out. The darker the rum, the more prominent those flavors and, in my opinion, the better the rum. While I think a darker rum is better suited to this drink, feel free to use any rum you prefer. I just wouldn’t use a spiced rum. Those spices will take away from the cocktail and make you wonder why you added a shot in the first place.

I found the Thomas & Jeremiah in my 1941 Here’s How book by W.C. Whitfield. I’ve already made a few drinks from this book including the Mamie Taylor and the Bull Dog Highball, and they were all great! So, when I saw this recipe and the delightful pen drawing and saying that went with it, I knew I had to give it a try. But it wasn’t just the ingredients and the drawing that drew me in, it was the cider. Since I’m such a huge fan of hot cider, I’m now a fan of this cocktail. The mixture of rum and apples is perfect for those chilly winter eves, especially when sitting by a roaring fire.