CNY Sore Throat Relief – Hot Toddy Recipe

Is this winter cold season hitting you hard? Sure you could take all that over-the-counter stuff, or you could warm up with a nice hot cocktail.

According to Wikipedia, the Hot Toddy originated in Scotland as a mixed drink of whiskey, hot water and honey, along with tea or other spices. It really is the perfect drink for a cold, wet winter night - picture yourself sitting by the fire, sipping this delicious hot nectar. And maybe you'll get a little relief for that nagging cough.

There are lots of variations - whiskey, even rum or brandy. Add a cinnamon stick or some cloves. Maybe some lemon juice for some Vitamin C. Here's one of our favorite recipes:

• 1 tea bag
• 2 ounces of whiskey
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 lemon slice
• cloves

Start with your tea bag in a large mug and fill it about half way with boiling water. Then add the whiskey, lemon juice and honey and stir it up. Stuff a few cloves into a lemon slice and add that to your drink and stir it again.

We like this variation with green tea because it seems to make it slightly more "healthy" and soothing on your throat. Be careful what kind of tea you choose - make sure you're not adding too much caffeine to your nighttime drink. Here's another recipe we found that skips the tea, and adds a cinnamon stick and some nutmeg in place of the cloves.

Do you have any other "home remedies" you like this time of the year?

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