One of my brother-in-laws is visiting from California. God love him, he arrived with the flu and is truly miserable.
As I type, he’s sitting in the family room next to a roaring fire and the telly {so Irish} and is chasing away his chills with a cozy hot water bottle from Avoca and a big mug of Ginger hot tea. I offered to make him a hot whiskey but he declined saying it’s still a wee bit early…perhaps at bedtime.
Ginger Hot Tea and Irish Hot Whiskey are both part of the “Toddy” family. A toddy is typically a mixed drink made of alcohol, water, sugar and spice. In Ireland, especially, it’s considered a traditional “cure” for colds and the flu.
Much like chicken soup, there’s speculation as to whether a toddy will actually “cure” what ails you, but does it really matter when you’re feeling awful? Not in my book. This hot, amber liquid will warm you to the bone and make you feel better.
Today’s posting is for Ginger Hot Toddy and Irish Hot Whiskey. Enjoy and be well!
Ginger Hot Toddy
Serves 4
Ingredients
3″ piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1,000ml/4 cups water
2-3 tablespoons honey (preferably Manuka Honey)
Lemon
Directions
1. Bring the water to the boil and pour into a teapot. Add the ginger.
2. Stir in the honey and let steep for 3-5 minutes.
3. Add a squeeze of lemon and stir again. Just before serving, taste and add more honey and/or lemon if desired.
4. To serve, strain the tea through a tea strainer into four cups. Serve immediately.
Notes: This tea keeps well in the fridge for up to three days and can be reheated in a pan on the hob (stove). (I keep the ginger and all the liquid in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.)
Irish Hot Whiskey
Serves 4
Ingredients
16 whole cloves
2 thick slices of lemon, rind left on but pips removed, cut in half
4-8 teaspoons sugar (Demerara is nice, if you have it)
240ml/16 tablespoons Irish whiskey
1/2 half lemon
freshly boiled water
Directions
1. Push four cloves into the four lemon rinds and set aside. Fill kettle with water and bring to the boil.
2. In four heatproof glasses, add 1-2 teaspoons sugar, 4 tablespoons Irish whiskey, and the four lemon slices with cloves pushed into them.
3. To ensure the glasses don’t break, put one teaspoon into each glass and, when that’s done, pour the freshly boiled water into each glass to fill.
4. Stir the water, whiskey, and sugar mixture to dissolve the sugar completely.
5. Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice into each glass, taste, and add more sugar and/or whiskey if desired.
6. Serve immediately.
Related Articles
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/jan/02/how-to-make-the-perfect-hot-toddy
http://joylicious.net/joylicious/2011/01/27/intensitoddy
http://www.instructables.com/id/Home-Cold-Flu-Remedy/
http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/947287/4-cold-fighting-hot-drink-recipes
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/ward-winter-chill-hot-toddy-article-1.1543448
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