Don’t you hate puns? I do, but I’m not a writer so I can get away with using them because - I DON’T KNOW ANY BETTER.

OK, well maybe I do, but that doesn’t even matter. What matters is that it’s been raining so hard for the past few days I haven’t even been able to line dry my laundry anywhere other than in front of the heater (cranked up to 80- global warming be damned). I’m at the tail-end of a brutal work stint that has found me staring down the holidays (and holiday parties) with a hankering for something comforting and warm.

The surefire way to warm up a guest-or fifty-during the holidays is with a warm beverage. Even better if that beverage contains alcohol. Something that can be sipped by the fire to warm you both in and out is appropriate for any winter gathering. Whether you find yourself in a cabin entertaining some ski bunny on your knee, or have soaked friends seeking refuge from the train where they were just awkwardly poked with umbrellas for the better part of their commute, go to one of these tried and true recipes I pull out every year and you’ll be in good shape.

Let’s start with the sometimes overlooked but powerfully comforting Hot Toddy. There are many variations of Toddies but I prefer mine with an herbaceous California twist.

Put one tablespoon organic raw honey (substitute a half tablespoon of agave for all of you vegan hippies out there). Cover with a double measure of bourbon (Buffalo trace, Bulleit, any kind will do) and then fill the rest of the mug with hot water. Stir to dissolve the honey, add two generous squeezes of fresh lemon and garnish with an entire sprig of rosemary. That rosemary is my substitute for the usual cinnamon stick and you can thank me for that modification later. Voila. Hot drink number one.

A slightly more complicated bourbon drink would be whiskey cider. This is more of a crowd- type recipe, where as the toddies can be made a single serving at a time.
In a large saucepan on the stove pour 6 cups apple juice (or cider) in. Add four or five whole cinnamon sticks and a few dashes of nutmeg. Bring to a rolling boil for ten minutes to allow the cinnamon to permeate the liquid. (You can add a few dashes of ground cinnamon for extra taste if you’d like).
Spoon the cider into mugs and serve. Voila! Hot drink number two.

If you’re feeling slightly more ambitious you can pre-make some mix for a mug of hot buttered rum.
The mix can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge all winter.
Take one softened stick of butter and mix in two cups light brown sugar, one teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg and a pinch of cloves. You can add a pinch of sea salt if you wish, or leave it out. This can be made in a little air-tight container and stored in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve melt one to two tablespoons of the mix into a mug of hot water. Add a shot or two of dark spiced rum and you’re ready to serve. This one is the sweetest of all the recipes and I find I can’t drink more than one mug at a time, but it’s very satisfying- either as a standalone drink, or as dessert.

There you go. Cold winter blues begone!

Filed under: Cocktail Hour, Ingredients, Recipes

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