Throw Down a Warm One

Hot toddies take the edge off winter

As a Florida girl, I just can’t tolerate the cold. Riding river rapids in North Carolina, hiking through Yosemite National Park and strolling through the streets of New York were beautiful experiences, but my violent shivering and thin skin always put a damper on the adventure. Not to worry — a hot toddy always brings me around.

Every restaurant, bartender and at-home enthusiast has their take on the classic cocktail, but most recipes follow a similar formula: hot water, sweetener, citrus, spices and a spirit. Purists cling to whiskey or bourbon, though some modern takes incorporate sweeter spirits like rum or brandy. Add a dash of honey, a cinnamon stick and a twist of lemon, and you are on your way to something special.

Believed to have originated in 18th-century Scotland, the hot toddy was often prescribed as a tonic to fight off the common cold. Opinions on these purported health benefits vary wildly today. Hot water and honey certainly have their benefits, but calling any liquor medicinal is sure to raise a few eyebrows. Still, there is no denying that a shot or two of warm whiskey can ease the bite of chilly weather.

More importantly, hot toddies are delicious.

They are easily made at home, and several local bars feature a toddy variation or two on their winter cocktail menus. Even if you don’t see a toddy on the menu, most bartenders can whip one up with the ingredients on hand.

Known for billiards, bites and sublime spirits, O’Riley’s Irish Pub in downtown Pensacola brings a few variations on the classic toddy to its winter cocktail menu.

“We’ve set up a whole winter drink menu,” said hostess Emma Tracy. “We are working with a lot of Fireball, a lot of pumpkin spice cream liqueurs and a lot of cinnamon drinks.”

As you might expect from an Irish Pub, Irish whiskey is a go-to recommendation at O’Riley’s. This year, however, the bartenders have cooked up some new concoctions that would make a purist blush. Fireball has found its way into one of O’Riley’s specialty toddies, adding a rich cinnamon kick without the cinnamon stick. In other variations, Tracy said, apple cider serves as a seasonal substitute for hot water.

“Normally we just do whatever whiskey we’re using, probably either Paddy’s Old Irish Whiskey or Jameson, maybe Tully (Tullamore Irish Whiskey),” Tracy said. “Then we’ll sweeten the drink with either honey or simple syrup and add a bit of lemon juice.”

The hot toddy becomes somewhat enigmatic with all of these adjustments, substitutions and additions. While most bartenders agree on honey, some recipes call for sugar or agave. Across the pond, substituting hot water for Earl Grey is standard practice.

Without a time machine and a Scottish brogue, we may never know the definitive, original recipe for the hot toddy. That’s what makes the drink special. The simple recipe can be adapted to anyone’s taste, whether classic or elaborate.

Classic Hot Toddy

Ingredients

» 2 ounces (¼ cup) bourbon

» 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

» 1 tablespoon honey

» Boiling water, to fill a mug (6 to 8 ounces)

» Cinnamon stick for garnish

» 3 to 4 cloves for garnish

» 1 star anise pod for garnish

Instructions

Combine the bourbon, lemon juice and honey in a mug and add the boiling water (use more or less, depending on how strong you’d like the drink to be). Stir until the honey is dissolved and the ingredients are well combined, 10 to 15 seconds. Garnish with the cinnamon stick, cloves and star anise pod.

Source: onceuponachef.com