Tag: whisky

Hot Toddy Night

I’m not a whisky drinker, but I must admit that when I come down with a cold, as I seem to have done yesterday, a hot toddy gives me a reason to live on. Even the act of making a hot toddy is comforting.

Hot Toddy

1 1/2 fluid ounces whiskey

1 T honey

3 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 slice lemon

1 pinch ground nutmeg

Pour the honey, boiling water, and whiskey into a mug. Spice it with the cloves and cinnamon, and put in the slice of lemon. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes so the flavors can mingle, then sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg before serving.

I’m not sure if it’s a cure, but a hot toddy makes me feel a whole lot better and is much more palatable than over the counter liquid cold medicines.

Peace, people!

Estate Sale Find

Estate sales are my weakness. More so than garage sales, estate sales are often poignant looks into the lives of the people who’ve inhabited a home.

Last week I stumbled onto a sale in the Old Town section of Tallahassee. Many of the homes in this part of town are on large lots with huge trees and lovingly tended gardens. The estate sale home was one of these well-kept older residences.

Bypassing the items displayed in the covered parking area I entered the kitchen and found my treasure. 

  
I picked it up and was surprised by its weight which I estimate to be about a pound and a half to two pounds. I wasn’t sure what it was. Then I opened it:

  
Ah! A clue! Two little shot glasses. Surely this was some type of mobile Victorian bar set. Swizzle sticks and limes could go in the little trough….

Just as I was contemplating my first sip of whisky from one of the tiny glasses a woman approached me and said, “Oh! You found a nice inkwell. And it has the glasses intact!”

Yes, I nodded. I knew it all the time. 

  
I still think I could have a little nip from it. 

Peace, people!

What Ails Me

Each morning I wake up and think, “Today’s the day this cold virus is officially going to stop messing up my life.” So far I’ve been wrong, but since when has that stopped me?

My nights are marked by throat tickling coughs that I try my best to hold in until I almost explode, and my days are spent fighting the dizziness and nausea brought on by draining sinus passages. In other words, I’m a real hoot to be around right now.

I take one medication for this symptom, another for that. My bathroom counter looks like the inside of Walgreens. Let’s spin the wheel and see what works this time.



My favorite “medication” is spicy Mexican food, so I’m self-medicating at Tijuana Flats, a great little place near Florida State University, that carries its own line of salsas:

I’m desperately hoping my cure resides in one of these containers. They did load my meal up with extra jalapeños–they take great care of me here. 

I stopped drinking my hot toddy mixture. The whisky was tasting just a little too good, if you know what I mean. Oh, who am I kidding? I ran out of the stuff and Studly won’t fetch me a new bottle. 

If you have a favorite end of cold remedy please share. I need to get well. 

Peace, people



Hot Toddy Q & A

I’m not sure if the hot toddies I imbibed helped shorten my cold or just made it more bearable. 

Question: Does one need to be suffering from a cold in order to enjoy the wondrous concoction known as a hot toddy? 

 Answer: I certainly hope not! 

 Q: Is a hot toddy really a proven remedy to cure the common cold? 

 A: Who the heck cares?  

Q: What dosage of hot toddy is recommended for greatest efficacy? 

 A: The more the merrier. Here, have another.   

Q: Could you share your super easy recipe? 

 A: I thought you’d never ask:

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In a microwave safe cup combine: 

 2 oz. Whisky 

1 tbsp. Honey 

1 tsp. Lemon juice 

4 oz. hot water 

 Place mixture in microwave for a minute or until it’s hot, but not boiling. 

Add a slice of lemon and a cinnamon stick. 

Sip slowly and feel your throat say, “thank you.” 

 As with any beverage containing alcohol, please drink responsibly. 

 Peace, People!

The Cold War

I have a cold. My body has picked a fine time to come under attack. No, really. I just completed testing at daycare facilities in our area, and we don’t have company coming for another month. A cold couldn’t have settled in my head at a better time.

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It’s still pissing me off. The local weather has begun warming up beautifully. Frogs are singing a happy harmony down by the lake. Birds are flitting about in courtship. And I’m sick.

I looked on Pinterest for cold remedy ideas. Between sneezing, sniffling, and hacking I found a cornucopia of suggestions.

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Try as I might I didn’t find wine mentioned in any of them. I could get behind a cure that recommended I drink a glass of wine or two (or three or four) with dinner.

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Unfortunately everything I’ve read suggests laying off alcohol for the duration.

I’m still holding out hope that this malady is just a 24-hour bug. I’m not sure it’s in my best interest to go without the grape for too long.

Peace, People!

P.S. I might be able to substitute whisky just this once.