BACKSTAGE PASS / PUNK ROCK ON THE ROCKS / ISSUE 001
PUNK ROCK ON THE ROCKS:
THE HOT TODDY
Cold outside? Feeling miserable? Questioning your life choices?
Congratulations. You’re exactly the kind of person who needs a Hot Toddy.
Welcome to Punk Rock on the Rocks, where I make actual cocktails and occasionally offer life advice nobody asked for.
Today we’re making a Hot Toddy. Because apparently drinking whiskey straight out of the bottle isn’t socially acceptable when you’re sick.
For the record, this is a cocktail, not cold medicine. If you’re actually sick, take care of yourself. I’m a former bartender, not your doctor.
What you’ll need
- 2 oz whiskey — bourbon or Irish whiskey works
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
- 4–5 oz hot water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 lemon wheel
- A heat-safe mug
Let’s make this thing.
First, the whiskey.
Two ounces. Bourbon, Irish whiskey, whatever. Just don’t use the expensive stuff. We’re mixing it with honey, not proposing to it.
Next, honey and lemon.
One tablespoon of honey and three-quarters of an ounce of fresh lemon juice.
Use actual lemon juice. The fresh stuff. I shouldn’t have to explain this, but here we are.
Now add the hot water.
Four to five ounces. Hot, not boiling-your-face-off hot.
Stir until the honey dissolves. If there’s a blob of honey sitting at the bottom of your mug, congratulations, you’re not finished stirring.
Finish it off.
Add a cinnamon stick and a lemon wheel.
Look at that. We’re practically healthy.
Jo’s verdict
Perfect for cold nights, bad decisions, and pretending you’ve got your life together.
And yeah, it’s actually pretty damn good.
Sweet, warm, a little tart, with just enough whiskey to remind you this isn’t something your grandmother made you when you had a sore throat.
Unless your grandmother was awesome.
One last thing: Alcohol isn’t a treatment for colds, and mixing alcohol with certain medications can be dangerous. Drink responsibly.
Stay loud. Stay warm.
— Jo