Winter cocktail – the hot toddy

Savannah Harris/Argosy

It’s the middle of January, and second semester is well underway. If you haven’t caught a cold yet, it’s only a matter of time until you do. After coming down with the sniffles last week, I owe my survival to the hot toddy, a delicious way to fight off a cold. To fix one up for yourself, all you’ll need is:

1 heaping tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons of whisky

Water

Spoon the honey into a large mug and add enough boiling water to dissolve it. If making the grown-up version, let the honey-water cool somewhat before adding in the whisky, because excessive heat may mess with its flavour. Stir in the lemon juice and top up with more warm water to reach the desired strength.   

A hot toddy can be a nice cold remedy because the honey and lemon will soothe your sore throat and the whisky will help you drift off to dreamland – or at least let you forget how sick you are. No matter what it says on the resumé I submitted to the Argosy, I’m not a doctor; if you’re really unwell, don’t use booze and, of course, check whatever medicine you might be taking in case it shouldn’t be combined with alcohol. I like to use whisky, but scotch, bourbon, rum, or brandy also goes well with honey and lemon. Try adding a tea bag of your choice for an extra aromatic appeal; my personal favourite is rooibos. This drink pairs perfectly with hot soup, a warm blanket and a snow flurry outside.

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