This toddy is hot
What should you drink at 1:11 on 1/11? Why a hot toddy of course. Besides New Years day and it being Ginuary, today is the first official drinking holiday day since the New year. It’s hot toddy day. And, this toddy is hot. So, to hell with you “dry January” freaks. Just like the rest of those abandoned new Years resolutions, it’s time to start drinking. Of course, next week brings us hot buttered rum day too. But, that’s a week away. So, start drinking now to prepare. It looks like a month of winter warmers. Which is good, because, baby, it’s cold outside (But, without the date rapey vibe).
So, what is a hot toddy? We’re not talking about Bill Murray’s Todd from the old SNL skits.
The drink we refer to is an old cold remedy employed by parents before they knew they shouldn’t be giving their kids booze. In it’s simplest form it’s Whiskey, brandy, or dark rum with lemon in hot sugar or honey water. The citrus and booze cut through the cold, while the honey soothed a sore throat, and the heat helped it get in faster, plus warm up the patient. But, you don’t have to be sick to dink these. They are a favorite around ski lodges and anywhere winter bites.
Did Apu say “This Toddy is hot”?
Some of you may remember Apu, the owner of the quickie Mart on the Simpsons. He was known for his rich Indian accent and all things hot, like a cup of coffee hotter than a FOX news weather skank. But, did he ever say “this Toddy is hot”? Not that I recall. But, the word toddy actually came from his ancestors. For centuries, the people of India have made a beverage called toddy from the sap of coconut trees . The sap becomes Palm sugar. And, that is fermented to create a palm Wine that is Sweet, sour, tangy, Fruity, and Slightly pungent all at once. The alcohol content is only around 4%, though. So, that’s not strong enough for many Western pallets.
The Hot toddy we know doesn’t receive any press until around 1786. Still, some credit a 19th century doctor: Robert Bentley Todd as the name sake. But, he already has a namesake: Todd’s Palsy. Maybe he just wanted to be known for something other than a disease. described as “a neurological condition that causes temporary paralysis after a seizure”, I suppose drinking enough hot toddy’s could have a similar effect. But, since he was born decades after the first mentions of the drink, I think that kind of leaves him out of the running for credit for the drink.
So, let’s warm up on this cold winter day.
Regardless of where it came from, it’s a drink we all can enjoy. Of course, it may bring back memories of childhood colds. But, it can also be very refreshing and pleasing on a cold January day. So, let’s get ready to Have a hot time with or without a Hot tub time machine this winter.
Here are a couple variations on the drink to get you going.
- Traditional: Boil 1/2 cup each hot water and honey to make a mildly sweetened liquid. Add 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice and 2 oz Whiskey, Brandy, or dark rum. Garnish with a Lemon wheel and cinnamon stick.
- For a New England or Canadian Flavor, substitute Maple Syrup for the Honey.
- You could do a southwestern variation by substituting agave for honey, lime for lemon, and Golden tequila for the liquor.
- For a fruitier variation, try mixing Orange, lemon, and Lime Juice.
- You could do an Asian variation with the addition of ginger and substituting Saki for the booze, and Yuzu to replace the lemon or in addition to it.
Play around with the proportions to make a drink fit to your taste. Some like it sweeter. Others want the booze or citrus to shine. I also like to infuse cinnamon sticks, allspice, or cloves in the water as well. remember, it’s your hot toddy. Serve as you like, because Some like it hot… and Hot toddy is hot enough to get its own day.