Jackets, fires, long underwear, hats and gloves and scarves. You hear these things and you either think, “DAMN IT! Cold weather,” or you’re thinking, “HELL YES! Cold weather!”
Whichever one of these you may be, most of us can agree on one thing…Hot Toddies. If you happen to be someone unaware of what a hot toddy is then keep reading. Having said that, if you love a good hot toddy you should keep reading as well.
A hot toddy, traditionally, is a drink consisting of water and honey with spices and liquor, the most important ingredient. The drink is intended to be served hot, most commonly during wet/cold conditions (i.e. Autumn and Winter). Some believe this drink may help with recovering from ailments, too. These hot toddies have developed into the drink of those braving the cold, having evolved into a glass of cider and bourbon or a mug of hot cocoa and liqueur (which are the focus of this article). If you’re still experiencing a slight chill while wearing the warmest of clothes, these drinks might just be the trick to increasing that body temperature.
*PLEASE ENJOY, BUT DO SO RESPONSIBLY.
HOT TODDY: APPLE CIDER
1. Apples and Oranges (serves 2-6)
The things you’ll need:
Cider, cinnamon sticks, orange juice, cloves, star anise, orange slices, bourbon.
Bring 4 Cups cider and 1 tablespoon orange juice to boil in a small pot with 1 cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves and 1 star anise. Lower to simmer for 5-10 minutes then remove from heat and strain into pitcher. Add cider mix and shot of bourbon to glass, garnish with an orange slice and cinnamon stick!
2. Big Kid Juice (1-2 servings)
Ingredients:
Apple juice, ground cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, bourbon.
Pour 2 Cups apple juice into pot and add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in some shots of bourbon then fill up a mug!
3. Simple Cider (makes 4-8 glasses)
The goods:
Cider, Bourbon, cinnamon sticks.
Heat 32oz of cider and 2 cinnamon sticks on a low simmer for 30 minutes. Pour the heated mixture into a mug, add a shot (or two) of bourbon and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
*Featured Cider at the Sycamore Trail Meetup Post Run hang out.
4. Lemon-Honey (makes one glass, tailor as needed)
Necessities:
Cider, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon sticks, bourbon.
Add 4oz cider, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoon honey and 1 cinnamon stick to small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-low heat and reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into a mug and stir in a shot of bourbon!
HOT TODDY: HOT COCOA
1. Peppermint Patty(gonia) (serves 2, change it as you want it)
Recipe:
Milk, chocolate mix, peppermint schnapps, whipped cream.
Heat 2 Cups milk over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add chocolate mix and cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat source and add 1/4 Cup peppermint schnapps. Top it with some whipped cream!
2. Irish Beer. Irish Cream. Irish Whiskey. (makes 4 servings)
Stuff:
Guinness, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, kosher salt, milk, chocolate chips (milk and bittersweet), Bailey’s, Irish whiskey.
Heat one bottle Guinness in medium saucepan over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. In a SEPARATE medium saucepan stir 1/4 Cup cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Stir in 3 Cups milk, 4oz milk chocolate and 4oz bittersweet chocolate chips. Stir constantly until chocolate is melted. Add a shot or two of Bailey’s to chocolate mix along with Guinness and a couple shots of the whiskey. Whisk until frothy and serve up!
3. Hot Red Cocoa (makes 2 mugs, but very rich so 4-6 smaller glasses might be better)
The list:
Milk (2% suggested), red wine, dark chocolate chips/chunks.
Combine 1 1/2 Cups milk and 1/3 Cup dark chocolate chips/chunks in saucepan over medium heat. Continually whisk until chocolate is melted and you have a thick, creamy chocolate milk. Pour in 1 Cup red wine (maybe 2) and heat until mixture is hot. Find your favorite mug and sip the cold away!
