Hot toddies'll waarm* your everything

Crown Royal will do in a pinch. 

 

I never expected to feel compelled to make this post in April! There's such a gross storm a brewin' outside-- rain, snow, hail, repeat. Yesterday was 100% gorgeous outside and I took my bare legs for a walk in my new mini jeanskirt. Today, by comparison, is really just the pits. I got super soaked and really cold today walking out in this crud today. I've been home for an hour and half, and I'm just nicely starting to warm up. 

I give all the props to my hot toddy!


I throw the term hot toddy around a lot in the winter, especially when my kith and kin are sick. It's a favourite home remedy of mine. While there are no hard n' fast rules regarding what a hot toddy must include, generally speaking, a dark hard liquor like rum, brandy or whisky should be the base, mixed with hot water, lemon and honey. 

The very first hot toddy I made, way back in 2004, was pretty hilarious. I used equal parts Jack Daniels, honey and lemon. No water. No friggin' around. Pretty sure Emily  felt no pain after downing this ill-advised science experiment. Many years later, I still don't frig around when preparing hot toddies. I don't like to make 'em predictable or painless. I want 'em to hit ya upside the head like a big burlap sack o' bricks, but then get you pretty gunned, or at least sufficiently warm n' fuzzy so as to not feel said smack upside the head. 
 

My hot toddy usually goes something like this. I get a little more extreme if I'm treating a cold. Hell, I'll just tell you my extreme version and you can  dumb it down from there if you like, although I recommend going all the way!**


HOT TODDY to make you WAARM!

1-2 shots of whisky or rum
juice of a quarter of a lemon, or more if you like 
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. grated ginger
2 whole peppercorns 
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of hot-as-hades cayenne powder
just-boiled water to fill the mug


If you don't want stuff floating around in your mug, you could use a teaball or piece of muslin. I like to chew on the pieces of ginger, which is definitely medicinal if you're ailin' from a stupid cold or flu. 


Anyway, the noble ol' hot toddy is a favourite of mine during cold nights, when I'm illin' or when I just want a hot drink and some whisky at the same time. 


Recommended brands of rum: Ironworks (local), or Sailor Jerry (strong as hell + spiced). 

Recommended whiskies: Glenora (local), Bulleit Bourbon (my all-around fave liquor).




HAPPY DRANKIN'!... I mean.... waarming up n' gettin' well.



*old folks around these parts, especially those from the South Shore of Nova Scotia, sometimes pronounce "warm" more like "arm" than like "storm." It's hilarious. When you wanna really stress that you're warm, this is pretty effective. And funny. At least to me. And my Dad.

**for my friends that don't drink alcohol, you can omit the alcohol and this is still a pretty delicious and effective drink. Maybe you could put a couple shots of ginger beer (Propeller if you live handy me) in instead.