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Total Hot Toddy

Photo by Giulia Forsythe

Warm drink for a cold season

It's wintertime here in New York. With temps at or below freezing most days, my hands are perpetually cold. I don't want to hold an iced drink and I want to drink one even less. When I'm relaxing after a long day, I want a hot drink that will warm me all over. Hot toddy fits the bill.

A little bit of history 

If you think the hot toddy is an old-fashioned drink, you'd be right. While no one seems to know exactly when and where it was first created, the hot toddy is rumored to have origins in 1700 Scotland, where pubs in Edinburgh diluted whiskey with hot water and honey to cure colds. Others claim it was created by Irish doctor Robert Bently Todd to ward off illness. Still others claim the hot toddy dates back to India during the 1600s. Wherever it came from, it certainly has a long history.

Is a Hot Toddy medicinal? 

There is no cure for the common cold, but the mixture of honey, lemon and a shot of bourbon has been known to offer some relief to sufferers of sore throats and stuffy noses. Because of its long history of being identified as a remedy, it's easy for me to believe it is. Either way, cold or no cold, a warm mug of it always comforts me. And that's all the proof I require. 

How to make a Hot Toddy

It's really simple, and like any recipe, it can be adjusted to your taste. 
The basic recipe:
  • 1/4 cup of boiling water
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 oz. bourbon
Stir together until honey dissolves. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or lemon slice. 

Putting your own twist on it

Don't have bourbon? Use whisky, dark rum or brandy. I used Jim Beam Apple Bourbon. It adds a sweet citrus flavor.

Other additions to try: 
  • Cloves
  • A splash of orange juice and/or slice of orange
  • A splash of apple cider vinegar for extra health benefits
  • A dash of nutmeg
  • Hot tea
Add the ingredients to hot tea. Black, chamomile or ginger tea all work well. Try a cold-busting tea, like echinacea or lemon verbena for extra relief. I bought Gingered Vanilla Toddy flavored loose tea leaves. The tea mix has black tea, ginger root, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla. I steep the tea and add apple bourbon. Smooth, warm and delicious! 

Cheers!

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