benos Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 As soon as it gets a chill at night around here - it's Toddy Time. There's something magical about those things. The first time I ever drank one ever was at Casey Moores, maybe about 7 - 8 years ago. I had a cold and a stuffed up head and in general was feeling like crap. But it was some sort of occasion (I can't remember what) so it was time to drink no matter how I felt. There was a old-school bartender at Casey's that volunteered to make me a Hot Toddy. I really liked it, so I had a few more, maybe about 4 -5 in all. The next day - I was completely healed. I'm not kidding - I felt absolutely perfect - the cold was completely gone. Well as you can imagine, that made a believer out of me. Over the last couple years I've perfected a pretty good system for cranking them out. Not to be to modest - I have somewhat of a local reputation for them actually. (I know a traditional Toddy is not made with Irish Whiskey, but for the hangover-free factor, I make them with Jamison.) Ingredients: Jamison Honey (Desert Honey is better than Clover Honey) Cloves (5 - 7) Cinnamon Lemon Juice Water Here's my technique (and you'll have to experiment with the amounts because it's a feel thing for me). First I get a couple cups of water boiling (in a special, electric hot-water heating device I have on the counter). Drop the cloves in a standard size coffe cup. Pour a layer of honey so it just covers the bottom. Shake in a couple shakes of cinnamon. (I've tried the sticks, but they're more for affect than flavor.) Pour in about a 1/4 to a 1/3 cup of Jamison. Squirt in a little lemon juice. (I use concentrate. It's cheap and lemons are ridiculously expensive here.) Put the cup in the microwave for 20 - 25 seconds (on high). About now the water should be hot. When the cup comes out of the microwave fill 'er up with water. Be sure to give it a good stir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn jones Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 that's probably the only way i could drink jamison's too. lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 Sounds yummy Brian. But I don't happen to have any Jamison handy ... or honey for that matter (or cinnamon, or cloves). Heck I am the absolute bachelor. I'm pretty sure I have water, lemon juice, and beer in the fridge. Sounds like a "Hot Toddy" run to the store is in order this weekend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boz1911 Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 My Mom made them for us when we were kids and were sick. They were great then and made us feel better instantly. Nowadays, I'm sure that would be some type of child abuse and child services would come knocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranDoc Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 My Mom made them for us when we were kids and were sick. My grandmother's cure for everything was ginger brandy -- used it herself, the kids got a miniscule snif of it, the cats got an eye-dropper full when they got a respiratory infection. There has to be something to those 'grandma remedies' -- she lived to 95! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throwin Lead Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Growing up Mom was a big believer in the hot toddies for colds. She used whatever whiskey Dad had around at the time either CC or Seagrams 7 in a receipe similar to yours Brian. She may have used ginger in place of one of the ingredients you mention - I'll have to ask her. I can remember the aroma & taste as I type this and that was a long, long, long time ago. The key to toddies is not to get outright drunk but enough whiskey to to get a mellow feeling. Don't know how those things worked but they helped one to get over a cold in a timely fashion. Try brewing a small pot of tea of your choice, and add your ingredients to the tea - make enough for a couple of servings or use a big mug. The tea seems to work magic in getting rid of colds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revchuck Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Sounds great, Brian, but I can't understand diluting perfectly good Jameson's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 I have experimented with that same recipe and after much experimentation have eliminated all the ingredients except the Jamisons...works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted December 8, 2007 Share Posted December 8, 2007 Good one TL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 I have experimented with that same recipe and after much experimentation have eliminated all the ingredients except the Jamisons...works for me. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
et45 Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 All I know is a shot of moonshine and a dose of Cephalexin will knock out a sinus infection real pronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 All I know is a shot of moonshine and a dose of Cephalexin will knock out a sinus infection real pronto. WOW>>>>> Sounds like a good night in the mountains. Brian, that recipe sounds pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted December 11, 2007 Author Share Posted December 11, 2007 Update on the recipe: A week or so ago, the Toddy residue (the thick, goopy part at the end that you don't drink) suddenly started to have a snotty consistency. Pretty gross actually. Right about that same time I'd switched from desert honey to clover honey (I'm always experimenting), so I blamed it on that. But then I switched back to desert honey, the snot remained. Extremely perplexing. So I meditated on the spice cabinet for a bit... And remembered that I switched brands of powdered cinnamon around the same time as I switched to the clover honey. So last night's Toddies were cinnamon-free, and guess what - no more snot-like residue. So I'll either stay cinnamon-free, or switch back to cinnamon sticks. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Interesting what about shredded cinamon sticks done fresh on a grater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 What I neglected to mention in my last post is that the snot-causing cinnamon was an all-natural version. So I wonder if the anti-caking agent that's probably in most non-all-natural brands of cinnamon is what's keeping it snot-free. The sticks are just so expensive they are cost prohibitive for any sort of consumption-factor. I do remember finding them reasonably priced in bulk somewhere though. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted January 18, 2008 Author Share Posted January 18, 2008 Final update on the cinnamon snot factor. Bulk-bought sticks are the way to go. Both grocery stores I go to have them bulk-packed with a bunch of other spices in the produce and/or hispanic section. Cheap, around $1/bag. (Avoid the "commercially packaged sticks found in the "regular spice" section.) One stick lasts for 2 or 3 toddies; well, 4 actually because by toddy number 4 my taste buds have lost some sensitivity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Final update on the cinnamon snot factor. Bulk-bought sticks are the way to go. Both grocery stores I go to have them bulk-packed with a bunch of other spices in the produce and/or hispanic section. Cheap, around $1/bag. (Avoid the "commercially packaged sticks found in the "regular spice" section.) One stick lasts for 2 or 3 toddies; well, 4 actually because by toddy number 4 my taste buds have lost some sensitivity. Lots of groceries/spices can be found in the hispanic sections of most major grocery stores --- usually at reduced prices. A friend of mine pointed this out one day when I took her grocery shopping; I've been saving money ever since. As far as stick cinnamon is concerned -- in cooking it tends to work better in things that will simmer for 20 minutes or longer. If something's going to cook quickly, powdered cinnamon is usually the way to go.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Interesting what about shredded cinamon sticks done fresh on a grater. I'm gonna have to try that.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Jane Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 I started to feel bad at work yesterday and thought I would try the old Hot Toddy cure. I've never tried it before but surely Grandma wouldn't lead us all astray…so I looked up Brian's receipe on the internet before leaving work, stopped by the grocery store for cinnomen, lemon, and cloves. Made another stop at a liquor store where the sales clerk and I plus 3 other customers discussed what kind of whiskey I was going to buy for my Toddy. I ended up choosing Crown Royal since it came in small bottles and one guy PROMISED me it went down smooth. You see my one and only experience with whiskey involved a bottle of Southern Comfort, some cigars, and laying on the bathroom floor in a cold sweat swearing I would never drink again. So I was a little leary about the whiskey choice. Anyway, I made it, drank it, and today I'm not feeling the symptoms I was yesterday. The plan is to have another tonight….just to be sure. Thanks Brian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I made a few with Crown and some other random whiskeys from the cabinet a while back.. pretty good stuff when it's cold or you're feeling like one is coming on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skywalker Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Sounds a lot like italian vin brulè ... except that we use strong red wine instead of whiskey. Locally, grandparents used to drink it for the very same benefic effects against a cold and/or flu. It's also an enjoyable drink after a long, tiring, day of skiing, while sitting with friends in front of the fireplace in a nice little mountain cottage surrounded by snow ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BD Williamson Posted February 27, 2008 Share Posted February 27, 2008 Here is my Grandmothers cold remedy which has worked wonders for me over the years 2 shots of Crown Royal 1 Tablespoon Honey( I also use the Desert type out here) 1 Teaspoon Lemon or extract Warm in micro till honey melts and drink many!! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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