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drinks for rainy days
It's been raining all week here - it's cold and damp and there are flood warnings all over, and we've got two inches of water in the basement (landlord: um, we'll deal with it ... later), and basically it is just the kind of wet blech day that reminds me of my mom making hot toddies on the stove when we worked out in the rain. So I had a spiked hot chocolate and some popcorn and watched MST3K doing a Commando Cody serial.
And that made me think about hot alcoholic drinks that are good when it's pouring rain or snowing or freezing outside. My mom used to make hot toddies for my dad (and later for me) when we were sick or when we had to be out in the rain, usually to a rum recipe but sometimes to a brandy one if we didn't have rum. We had a lemon tree in the backyard, so the hot toddies were always seriously lemony, and the lemon and the alcohol tang would sit above the liquid in the hot cup. Later in life I had things like Irish coffee and wassail (especially nom when it has baked apples in it) and several variations on "put alcohol in hot chocolate," but the hot toddy is the symbol of comforting hot drinks for me.
So I wondered what y'all drank (if anything) and especially if y'all had any good recipes! And I like polls.
I used to drink this more often than I have in the last few years, but I just made it again to a pretty handwavy recipe. Basically: a handful of semi-sweet chocolate, a spoonful of unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder (to deepen the flavor, because it's going to be cut by the rum), a half a spoonful of sugar (or honey or agave), a dash of vanilla, and about 3/4 of the volume of the serving cups in milk or milk substitute. Heat that whole shebang over medium heat and whisk or stir fairly consistently. Taste it to make sure it's chocolatey or sweet enough, but remember you're going to cut it with some alcohol in a minute so it should be a little more chocolatey than you generally like your hot chocolate. Remove it from the heat, wait until it's steaming but not simmering (if you let it get up to a simmer) and add ... about as much alcohol as you'd put in two mixed drinks (I made a double recipe today and put in about a double shot or 3 oz of rum). But basically any alcohol works; when I lived with people who liked flavored alcohol I'd use butterscotch or peppermint schnapps, or dark rum, or brandy. Some people use tequila but I never cared for it. And now I'm thinking intrigued thoughts about the local maple liqueurs and honey brandies.
And while I'm here let me just drop in a link for a hot buttered spiked cider recipe (a sort of hot buttered rum and mulled cider mashup),
And that made me think about hot alcoholic drinks that are good when it's pouring rain or snowing or freezing outside. My mom used to make hot toddies for my dad (and later for me) when we were sick or when we had to be out in the rain, usually to a rum recipe but sometimes to a brandy one if we didn't have rum. We had a lemon tree in the backyard, so the hot toddies were always seriously lemony, and the lemon and the alcohol tang would sit above the liquid in the hot cup. Later in life I had things like Irish coffee and wassail (especially nom when it has baked apples in it) and several variations on "put alcohol in hot chocolate," but the hot toddy is the symbol of comforting hot drinks for me.
So I wondered what y'all drank (if anything) and especially if y'all had any good recipes! And I like polls.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 20
Hot alcoholic drinks I/my family drink include:
View Answers
hot toddy (whisky/whiskey)
4 (20.0%)
hot toddy (rum)
4 (20.0%)
hot toddy (brandy)
3 (15.0%)
buttered rum
3 (15.0%)
wassail
5 (25.0%)
mulled wine
8 (40.0%)
spiked hot chocolate
10 (50.0%)
Irish coffee
6 (30.0%)
other spiked coffee
1 (5.0%)
something else! I've got a great recipe I'll share in the comments!
3 (15.0%)
I used to drink this more often than I have in the last few years, but I just made it again to a pretty handwavy recipe. Basically: a handful of semi-sweet chocolate, a spoonful of unsweetened chocolate or cocoa powder (to deepen the flavor, because it's going to be cut by the rum), a half a spoonful of sugar (or honey or agave), a dash of vanilla, and about 3/4 of the volume of the serving cups in milk or milk substitute. Heat that whole shebang over medium heat and whisk or stir fairly consistently. Taste it to make sure it's chocolatey or sweet enough, but remember you're going to cut it with some alcohol in a minute so it should be a little more chocolatey than you generally like your hot chocolate. Remove it from the heat, wait until it's steaming but not simmering (if you let it get up to a simmer) and add ... about as much alcohol as you'd put in two mixed drinks (I made a double recipe today and put in about a double shot or 3 oz of rum). But basically any alcohol works; when I lived with people who liked flavored alcohol I'd use butterscotch or peppermint schnapps, or dark rum, or brandy. Some people use tequila but I never cared for it. And now I'm thinking intrigued thoughts about the local maple liqueurs and honey brandies.
And while I'm here let me just drop in a link for a hot buttered spiked cider recipe (a sort of hot buttered rum and mulled cider mashup),
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I just remembered another one--we often have glogg at Christmastime in honor of my Swedish grandfather. As far as I know it's basically mulled wine, but with MUCH MORE ALCOHOL in it.
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Actually I feel like I could use one of those...
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Pu the kettle on. Dump a spoonful of honey + a glug of hard liquor (rum or whisky, but if you really have nothing else, vodka or gin will do) in a glass. Fill up the glass halfway with either freshly squeezed citrus juice, most often orange or lemon, or with OJ from the carton (adding a dash of squeezed lemon if you can, though). When the kettle stops/whistles, fill up the glass with boiling water, stirring with a spoon to blend everything well.
Wait til it's possible to drink it without requiring a trip to the ER from burns in your throat, but generally, don't wait until you find it comfortable to drink. I don't like to drink too hot, but this kind of HAS to be drunk too hot to be more efficient if you're fighting disease. Of course, I wait longer when I'm simply drinking it for comfort. :D
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I like it very lemony too. :D
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I don't understand not putting a bunch of lemon and some honey in a hot toddy! That's what I'm there for!
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Hmmmm, is it possible that using hot chocolate as a mixer is the ONE GOOD USE for peppermint schnapps? Because that sounds delicious. And I loathe all schnapps.
Scottish hot toddy recipe! Cures the common cold, or at least stops you caring. :)
Then the classic toddy making process: a freshly squeezed lemon, plenty of honey, and most importantly (though I was given a lot of alcohol-free versions of this as a child) the whisky. Quantity depending on whether you want to go to sleep immediately. :)
If you have access to Crabbie's ginger wine, you can add that as well. My mum made me a ginger wine/whisky/many-spiced toddy when I had a terrible cold over Christmas last year and it was amazing. :)
Re: Scottish hot toddy recipe! Cures the common cold, or at least stops you caring. :)
Re: Scottish hot toddy recipe! Cures the common cold, or at least stops you caring. :)
Now I know. Thankyou!
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