Hot Drinks

The Hot Toddy

We've talked a bit about the history of the Hot Toddy here before. During the 1600s in India, it was originally referred to as a "Taddy", and made with fermented tree sap. It eventually made its way to England and they starting making a variation with Scotch whiskey, honey, and spices added to hot water. 

The traditional way to make a Hot Toddy is just adding whiskey, honey, and lemon juice to hot water, creating a sort of tea. There are, however, almost infinite variations and ways to spice things up. I like to add baking spices such as cinnamon, clove, and allspice. You can also add pumpkin puree or a liqueur like elderflower or amaretto to create an entirely new creation. However you decide to make it, a hot toddy is a great pick me up during these cold, sniffly times.

The Hot Buttered Rum

The Hot Buttered Rum started out as an obscure colonial drink, brought back to life by being featured in Kenneth Robert's 1937 novel Northwest Passage. 

Cocktail legend David Embery would poke fun at this in his 1948 book The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, stating that the drink is "the worst" of all hot concoctions. “The lump of butter is the final insult,” he says. “It blends with the hot rum just about as satisfactorily as warm olive oil blends with champagne! I believe that the drinking of Hot Buttered Rum should be permitted only in the Northwest Passage and, even there, only by highly imaginative and overenthusiastic novelists.” Many people had the same complaint about this early version of the cocktail, a blob of melted butter floating on the surface, usually plopped in right before serving the drink. Today, the pat of butter has mostly been replaced with a sort of batter, made with butter, sugar, vanilla, and ice cream. The mixture is frozen and then scooped out to make individual servings, just add it to rum and hot water and you have a creamy, delectable cold weather cocktail. 

Glühwein

Gluhwein, also known as "Mulled Wine", is a wine based, spiced beverage. The first record of wine being spiced and heated can be found in Plautus' play Curculio, written during the 2nd century BC. 

It was also common for soldiers of the Roman Empire to heat and spice their wine. Gluhwein is probably most recognized as the traditional German Christmas-time beverage. A similar product called Glogg is popular throughout Scandinavia. A dry red wine works best as the base, something like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Shiraz or Merlot. Other ingredients include spices such as cinnamon and cloves, oranges, lots of sugar, and sometimes brandy or dark rum. 

The Recipes

The Hot Toddy

  • 2 oz Whiskey

  • 2 teaspoons of sugar

  • 1/4 oz Lemon juice

  • Hot water

  • Spices (Optional)

 Add all of the ingredients except water to a mug

  • Pour hot water on top

  • Stir and enjoy

Hot Buttered Rum

  • Equal parts Butter, Brown Sugar, and powdered sugar

  • Scoop of vanilla ice cream

  • 2 oz Rum

  • Hot Water

For the Batter:

  • melt the butter in a large pot over the stove

  • Stir in both sugars until mixed

  • add the ice cream and stir until melted and mixed

  • Freeze the mixture

For the Drink:

  • add one spoonful of the frozen mixture to a mug

  • Add 2oz rum and fill with hot waer

  • stir and enjoy

Glühwein

  • 1 bottle of dry red wine

  • 2 whole cinnamon sticks

  • 2 whole star anise

  • 10-15 whole cloves

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 orange, zested

For the Drink:

  • combine the sugar and water in a large pot and bring to a boil

  • Reduce the heat and add the cinnamon, cloves, and anise, and the zest and the juice from the orange, simmer for a few minutes

  • Reduce the heat to barely a simmer and add the bottle of wine, stirring regularly

  • Continue simmering for at least 30 minutes, but up to several hours 

  • Ladle into mugs with a shot of rum or brandy (optional)

  • enjoy :)