Circle B Kitchen

Happy January, everyone! If you're not being buried in cold and blizzards and ice, let's hope you're not suffering from this year's flu bug which, as it turns out, is a doozy. Either way, we here at the Circle B Kitchen have got you covered. Welcome to this little glass of soothing, comforting, perhaps even healing cup of wonder. Yes, we're talking about the Hot Toddy.

Many of you probably already rely on this old standby for soothing and aiding in the discomfort of your cold and flu symptoms. Of course, there's Advil and Tylenol and about a bajillion over-the-counter cold remedies also available to us in the 21st century, but back in the 1700's (yes, the hot toddy has been around that long) this, and the multiple variations of it, were a reliable source of relief and comfort (perhaps depending on how much alkyhaul you added).

So why on earth would we return to such an archaic practice? Have you ever tasted a hot toddy? Even if you're in the glow of perfect health you're going to want to throw one of these together on a chilly evening for no other reason than it's delicious! This one is, anyway.

All you're going to need is a nice bourbon... we're partial to Costco's Kirkland brand. Rumor has it that it's actually a very good, well-known brand dressed in a Kirkland label for the big store. Whatever bourbon you have or enjoy will work fine. You're also going to need some hot water, lemon and honey. Those last two ingredients are exactly what my Mom gave me for a cough and/or sore throat back in the day; they're just as soothing now as they were then.

So there's our public service contribution to this year's cold and flu season. It works equally well in staving off the winter chill that will be with us for a few more months. I wish you health, warmth and happiness. For everything else, here's a hot toddy...