Cognac Hot Toddy

A cure for the common cold…
or at least commonly cold fall nights.

It’s that time of the year.  Time to put away your tank tops and bust out your sweaters.  Box up your flip flops and dust off your boots.  Fall is officially here.  And with the return of fall comes not only a change in temperature, new seasonal foods, my birthday, and back to school, but also… wait for it… cold and flu season.

I arrived home from my trip to France last week, just two days before my birthday, bearing great memories, hundreds of beautiful photos, and also a massive head cold.  My first cold of the season, and just in time for the first official day of fall.  In fact, this was my first cold in years.  Though I have young children at home (or what many refer to as “germ breeders”) I have managed to avoid catching a cold for the last three years.  That is, until a week ago, when I returned home from my trip to Cognac with a sore throat, stuffy nose, and severe sinus pressure — all interfering with my ability to smell, taste and enjoy wine.  Therefore, this would mean no wine to drink on my birthday of all days (insert Debbie Downer theme song).

So instead of wine for my birthday, I made a Cognac Hot Toddy in honor of the location where I picked up this pesky cold.

Hot Toddies are typically made by combining hot water, honey, lemon, and a spirit such as bourbon, whiskey, or brandy.  They are the perfect warm drink to enjoy on crisp fall nights or if you are suffering from a cold because it soothe’s the throat, body and soul, helping you to relax and uplift your mood.

What I discovered throughout the week (because of course I made more than one) is the importance of using a good quality spirit — one you are happy sipping on its own.   Just as I would never recommend cooking with a wine you wouldn’t drink on its own, the same advice goes for the quality of spirit you use for this cocktail.  This is because you aren’t altering the flavor much, but simply diluting it with hot water, sweetening it with honey, and infusing it with a touch of cinnamon.

Case in point, on day three of my experimentation I selected rum for my evening totty.  I wanted to try something different, and didn’t want to use all my “good” Cognac for toddies.  It was awful.  Mostly because I don’t enjoy drinking rum on its own (at least cheap rum).  And if I do drink it, it’s usually mixed with tropical fruit or a cola.  This ended up tasting like diluted cheap rum.  So I poured it down the drain and made a new one with Cognac.  And one of the many things I learned from my experience visiting the region of Cognac and tasting dozens of different examples, is that most of them are absolutely delicious on their own.  Lesson learned.

 

 

COGNAC HOT TODDY

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup boiling water (or approx 4-5 oz)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 slice of lemon
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1/4 cup Cognac (or 2 oz)

Directions:

Pour the boiling water, honey, lemon slice, and cinnamon stick into a mug or glass and let it all mix together for about a minute.  Add the Cognac and stir.  Sit on your sofa, cover yourself with a Snuggie, read a good book, and let the drink do its work.

Okay, so this may not “cure” your cold, but neither will NyQuil.  At least this one tastes good