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When it gets cold out and my nose gets sniffly, I happily turn to the curing power of a hot toddy. My standby recipe is from an older version of a Gourmet cookbook for hot buttered rum that combines lemon juice, maple sugar, rum, boiling water and is dotted with a pat of butter. But I wanted to add a spicy element to the mix, using ginger tea as a base for the cocktail, which provides a tiny ginger burn at the back of the throat.
Ingredients
- 2 cupswater
- 11/2-inch ginger root, thinly sliced
- 4to 6 cloves
- 1lemon, halved
- Honey, as needed
- Rum or bourbon, as needed
- Lemon slices, as garnish
Instructions
- 1
In a medium saucepan, add water, gingerroot slices and cloves. Squeeze lemon juice into the saucepan, adding lemon halves into the liquid. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce to medium heat, so the liquid is bubbling. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes, until the mixture has reduced and has enough of a gingery taste to your liking. Strain, removing cloves, lemon halves and ginger from the liquid. Pour into two mugs. Add enough honey and rum or bourbon to your tastes. Garnish with lemon slices, and serve.