For the past month, I have been visiting my parents back in London, the city I called home until about the age of twelve. The Christmas/New Year season is always equal parts traumatizing and magical, as we race about the country manically visiting every family member in those few days between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. One consistent feature of these speed-dating style family bonding sessions (much to my delight) are a plethora of delicious cocktails.
Despite the weather never really getting below five degrees Celsius the whole time I have been here, most of my family have been insistent on the benefits of a warm (alcoholic) drink after returning from an afternoon walk. I was not one to argue. And after I heard about the sub-arctic temperatures I would be facing on my departure from this green and balmy isle, I decided to take some notes and make a list of drinks to get me and my friends through what is sure to be a hellish winter back in Toronto. My absolute favorite so far though has to be this recipe for a hot toddy, which I found on Imbibe’s website. My uncles would shake their heads at the deviation from the traditional recipes, but I just love new spins on old classics.
Rum and Chai Hot Toddy:
Not only does this drink taste divine, it’s tried-and-tested symptom relief for anyone suffering the January sniffles. Or the cold. Or Mondays.
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tsp. whole cloves
15 cardamom pods, crushed
7 star anise pods
1 tsp. black peppercorns
2 Tbsp. Ceylon or English Breakfast tea
3 oz. aged rum
16 oz. water
2 tsp. honey, or to taste
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
Tools: saucepan, tea infuser, fine-mesh strainer, spoon
Glass: mug
