What the Heck is a Hot Toddy?

As we know, the internet is a plethora of information on useful and useless topics. Quite honestly, sometimes I just like to use the word “plethora”. With that being said, here’s what my latest investigation uncovered:

A Hot Toddy, (totty or tottie), is a hot drink made with liquor, water and honey. In Scotland it’s known as a hot whisky. I guess they don’t want anyone using any other type of liquor in their toddies! Some recipes use sugar, herbs (like tea) and spices.  The “Toddy” has been known to ease the symptoms of a cold or the flu. In How to Drink, Victoria Moore describes the drink as "the vitamin C for health, the honey to soothe, the alcohol to numb."

Where did the toddy get it’s name? It seems as though the name came from  Dr. Robert Bentley Todd, born in Dublin in 1809. He would prescribe a hot drink of brandy, canella (white cinnamon), sugar syrup and water to his patients who were suffering from a cold or flu.  He died at the age of 50, hopefully not from an upper respiratory ailment.

There are many variations of a Hot Toddy. I wanted to make it as simple as possible since, when you’re sick, the last thing you want to do is stud a lemon rind with cloves.

Here’s an easy recipe with ingredients you may already have at home:

8oz Hot Water
1 Tea Bag
1oz Bourbon
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Lemon Wedge

Place tea bag in a mug, add the hot water and steep tea for 2-3 minutes. Remove tea bag and add honey. Stir that baby up so the honey dissolves. Pour in whiskey, add a squeeze of lemon and stir. Drink!

Feel better?