Behind Bars
I’m not one of those guys who wears shorts in December. Not because I’m embarrassed of my legs but because I grew up in Southern California and December in Sonoma is cold. I once spent a winter in Missouri (Ft. Leonard Wood, Misery) and I wouldn’t wish that upon my worst enemy. Since that winter I have done my best to avoid snow, sleet and sub-zero temperatures at all costs. When the thermometer drops around here, I reach for one of my favorite things, a hot alcoholic beverage.
Following is the recipe for a Hot Toddy. This is great for sore throats or if you just feel a tad under the weather. Any decent bartender has his own recipe and can make you one. Be aware that when someone orders one from a bartender, it means that they are most likely sick with some variation of the common cold, the flu or the Sonoma SARS that’s going around. For some reason, people with the flu like to come to public meeting places and show off how sick they are. Bartenders are like teachers and flight attendants – we’re all real susceptible to the flu. Here’s a quick public service reminder: if you are sick, see a doctor and stay away from public places.
A Hot Toddy is brandy and hot water with lemon and honey. Start with an ounce and a half of good brandy, such as the locally produced Korbel, and hot water in a mug. Add the juice of half a lemon and sweeten to taste with honey. The lemon adds good ol’ vitamin C, which helps lessen flu-like symptoms and has the added benefit of keeping the dreaded 18th-century scourge scurvy at bay. Variations include rum or Scotch instead of brandy and hot tea instead of plain hot water.
My favorite winter beverage is named a Snuggler. While a Snuggler is simply hot cocoa with peppermint schnapps, there is an easy recipe for hot cocoa you can make at home that beats the stale taste of a Swiss Miss packet any day of the week. This recipe is for two, which just happens to be the perfect number for snuggling in front of a fire on a freezing night.
In a two-quart, nonstick saucepan, whisk together a half-cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, two tablespoons of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a half cup of water over low heat. Cook until mix is smooth and starts to bubble, [about three minutes.] Add to this one-and a-half-cups of whole milk and a half cup of half-and-half until mix comes just to a simmer but is not boiling, stirring frequently. Pour an ounce-and-a-half of peppermint schnapps into your favorite mug, add hot cocoa and enjoy. Garnish with marshmallows and a candy cane for a stirrer.
There are too many coffee drinks to list here and most bars and restaurants have their own specialties. My all-time go-to-drink on a cold winter night is a variation on a cocktail called Nuts and Berries. Pour equal parts Frangelico and Baileys into a mug and top with hot coffee. Add to this a splash of Chambord (raspberry liqueur) and finish with whipped cream. This drink is the perfect nightcap.
