Hot Toddy, I Miss You. Will You Take Me Back?

My Dearest Hot Toddy,

It is with wounded pride and heavy heart that I throw myself at your mercy and ask--no beg!--that you warm my winter-chafed soul once again. My dearest love, will you consider circling me in your strong brandy-soaked arms? Will you cover me with ginger-spiced kisses and leave traces of honey on my tongue?

It's true. I know. I left you. I abandoned you for that flirty seductress, that voluptuous maiden full of vim and vigor, so alive, so free! I tossed you aside and dared her to lift her skirts and show me her bounty.

But, alas, like Ann Boleyn to King Henry, she spurned my advances. She left a few crocuses, sure. And a couple hours of daylight. But she took back that extra 25 degrees.

She is a Tease! And I am a fool.

So, here I sit, in a sweater and scarf, hat and gloves, cold and forlorn. Oh, my debonair (and delicious) Hot Toddy, I miss you.

Do you remember the good times? I do. Let's relive them tonight without care or worry for the morrow. The early hours will be fuzzy anyway.

With all of my love, and my passion, I offer this plea--come back to me!

Your Lushous Urban Gastronomer

And here, my friends, are a few recipes for your own rendezvous with Hot Toddy. Trust me. You won't be disappointed. And, don't be shy. Hot Toddy is great for groups. These recipes came from a meeting I hosted for the NYC Cocktail Club, during which nine ladies enjoyed the company of Hot Toddy all at once. 

Chai Hot Toddy
1 oz. brandy
1 tsp. ginger syrup*
Chai tea (brewed 4 min.)
Honey to taste
1 nugget candied ginger
Squeeze of Meyer lemon and strip of zest

Drop the ginger into a small glass. Add brandy and ginger syrup. Pour in hot tea (about 3 ounces). Stir in honey. Squeeze lemon and top with zest.

*Ginger syrup is easy to make--Simmer two cups of water with sliced ginger for 30 minutes. It will boil down to about a cup. Add 2/3 cup agave syrup and one ounce vodka. Refrigerate once made.



Apple Pie Hot Toddy
1 oz. brandy
.5 oz. apple brandy

1 tsp. of ginger five-spice syrup*
Honey to taste (or not)
Hot water
1 dried cherry
Slice of apple

Drop dried cherry into a glass. Add brandies and ginger five-spice syrup. Pour in hot water (about 2.5 ounces). Add honey if desired. Top with slice of apple.

*Trader Vicky found the recipe for this great syrup on Cocktail Hacker.

The classic hot toddy is also not to be missed--1-2 ounces of a dark spirit, hot water, lemon, and honey if desired.

Enjoy these! As I sip, I am cooking up ideas for those fabulous ramps and some of the other spring goodies sure to come our way soon. Toodles!