The New Year is upon us and perhaps you may be feeling the effects of holiday overindulgence. A wild night of cheap Champagne, sweet desert wine after Christmas dinner, enough eggnog to sedate an elephant, or that bottle of whiskey you got as a gift and plowed through in a weekend may be likely culprits. In light of this, I thought I’d share a few recipes for drinks that are more in the spirit of relaxation and recovery. The Toddy, sort of a generic term for a hot drink made with water, some form of sweetener, and of course booze, can come in many forms. Whether you’ve had a long afternoon shoveling snow, have a tickle in your throat, or just feel like getting cozy by the fire, any of the recipes here will be sure to wash the winter blues away — and not make you regret it the next day.
Classic Hot Toddy
1.5 oz. Buffalo Trace Bourbon (or similar)
Honey to taste (start with one teaspoon)
A lemon slice stuck with 4-6 cloves
Juice from lemon wedge
6-8 oz. boiling water (add more if you like)
Add ingredients to mug and give a light stir; garnish with lemon slice and clove.
Scotch Toddy
1.5 oz. of quality blended scotch (I like Famous Grouse)
Honey to taste
1 bag of strong flavored tea to stand up to the scotch
(I prefer Earl Grey)
Hot water
Add ingredients to a mug and stir lightly. Allow tea to steep and remove when ready.
Ramblin’ Rum Toddy
1.5 oz. Gold Rum (Appleton Estate or Mount Gay are nice)
.25 oz. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. Demerara sugar
1 small slice fresh ginger
Hot water
Ground or grated allspice
Muddle ginger in mug then add remaining ingredients, stir lightly; top with a pinch of allspice, and garnish with lime wheel.
Think about creating your own versions during the long Michigan winter. Have fun!
