Hot Toddy

Being such a huge hot toddy fan, I knew I could not let National Hot Toddy Day go by without blogging about it. Confession, I only know this because it popped up as a reminder from Garden & Gun, thus I thought it only fitting to share their superb recipe today.

Hot Buttered Rum

Ingredients:

8 cups apple cider

6 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

15 whole allspice berries

10 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks, broken into small bits

5 tsp. dark honey

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 cups dark rum

Directions:

Boil first 6 ingredients about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add butter, stir till melted, strain into 8 warm mugs, and divide rum among them.

via

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... was the reply. "You are exhausted, of course, but if you do not get cold you will soon be all right. Maggie," she continued, to the servant, "tell Mr. Hesden to bring in that hot toddy now. He had better put the juice of a lemon it it, too. Miss Ainslie may not be accustomed to taking it. I am Mrs. Le Moyne, I forgot to say," she added, turning to her unintended guest, "and Hesden, ...

— Bricks Without Straw • Albion W. Tourgee

Hot Toddy

Hot Toddy: a mixed drink, usually including alcohol, that is served hot. Hot toddies (such as mulled cider) are traditionally drunk before going to bed, or in wet or cold weather. (I chose to leave out the last sentence from Wikipedia...something about hot toddies and alcohol causing dehydration.)

My husband is the king of making hot toddies for me when I am feeling a little down from the cold weather. He always lets the tea steep the right amount of time, adds the perfect amounts of honey, orange and a little something to make me breathe fire. There are so many variations to make these drinks and you really can add just about anything, but I found two that sounded extra tasty to me.

Hot Toddy #1

Ingredients:

4 slices of red apple

3 cinnamon sticks

3 slices of orange

2 cloves

16 oz simple syrup (equal part sugar dissolved in water)

16 oz bourbon whiskey

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and put over low heat. Slowly bring up to a simmer to infuse the bourbon, and keep over low heat for 5-7 minutes until the fragrance of the mixture becomes more apparent. Serve warm.

Serves 4; Cook time 15 minutes.

 

 



Hot Toddy #2

 

Ingredients:

hot tea

honey

orange

brandy

 

Directions:

1. Drizzle a tsp. of honey around the inside of the glass

2. Squeeze a little citrus (raspberry blood orange)

3. Pour in a shot (or two) of any good spicy brandy (or rum or whiskey)

4. Fill the remainder of the glass with fresh brewed hot tea

Optional:

Cinnamon stick for garnish; leave in to infuse.