Heating Up on a Cold Day
The frigid January weather should have you reaching for something hot – a hot toddy, that is! January 11th is National Hot Toddy Day with this warm concoction having the potential to cure everything from a chilled body after being outside in the snow, to colds and the flu, to isolation and monotony this winter season.
The origin of the hot toddy is unique. It stems from India and evolved in Scotland and Ireland. In India, people would ferment palm sap to drink, and this was known as a “taddy,” based from the Hindi word tādi. It was also not heated. When the British began to colonize India in the late 18th through 19th century, they adapted the drink by adding spirits and spices and sweetened it with sugar, bringing the recipes back to their home country. The new concoction made the rounds around the UK, where the Scottish folk adopted this drink as a cold weather staple utilizing whiskey, hot water, honey, and spices, renaming it as a “hot toddy.” The Irish created a similar version, sometimes known as a “hot whiskey” by mixing whiskey, hot water, lemon, honey, and spices together. Some of the earliest recipes also refer to these hot beverages as a “hot toady.”
Robert Bentley Todd was an Irish-born physician of the 1830s who took interest in physiological medicine and advancing the nursing profession. He contributed greatly in the advancement of diagnosing and treating fevers and delirium. He may be best known for prescribing to his patients a drink mixture of brandy, canella (tree bark similar to cinnamon), simple sugar, and hot water – a hot toddy. Though this physician’s last name is Todd, it is not the basis for the name of the hot toddy – it is simply a coincidence. However, it probably is the basis for him being attributed to the drink!
It is well-known throughout history that different types of alcohol were prescribed to patients by physicians for their “medicinal” qualities. Hot toddy’s were often prescribed by doctors for ailments such as colds, cough, sore throat, congestion, chills and fatigue – with actual truth to this remedy.
Warm fluids, honey, and lemon, all serve to soothe sore tissues and relieve irritation. Honey itself is a natural cough suppressant, it coats the throat, and has additional antimicrobial properties. Lemon adds vitamin C. Steam from hot water helps to break-up congestion and loosen mucous, thereby making it easier to breathe. Warmth also helps to provide comfort and the added whiskey provides a warming sensation which can help to alleviate any aches and pain with the extra benefit of providing a sedative effect for help sleeping. Spices too, such as ginger, cinnamon and cloves, can aid with their own anti-inflammatory and anesthetic properties. Lastly, the drink, as a whole, also provides us with the extra fluids we all need when we’re sick.
How do you make a hot toddy? Here’s a traditional simple recipe from the Caring Senior Service blog intended for cold relief:
- 2 oz. boiling water
- ½ oz. whiskey or rum
- Slice of lemon
- 2-3 teaspoons honey
- Cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- A pinch of nutmeg
Pour whiskey, hot water, and honey into a mug. Add the clove and lemon, stirring with a cinnamon stick. Let steep for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the nutmeg on before serving. The recommendation is for only one drink taken before bed.
There is also the option to play around with the recipe, especially if you’re looking to drink a hot toddy more as a cocktail instead of a cold-remedy. Swap bourbon for the whiskey, giving the drink a different type of flavor and sweetness with vanilla and caramel notes. Scotch, dark rum, or brandy are other great alternatives to whiskey. Add apple cider, Earl Grey tea, maple syrup, or swap caramel in the place of honey, to create something truly special. Mix up the spices with ginger, star anise, cayenne, or orange peel. Experimenting with different ingredients will truly make it your own!
Cheers!
