Maybe it’s my recent obsession with Mod Cloth or maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been spending time visiting my grandfather at his (55 and over) complex, but I have seriously grown obsessed with the 50s. Clothing, music; you name it. I’m there. There’s something about that time that makes me nostalgic for better days. No, I wasn’t around then. My mother was barely even born in the 50s, but I really feel like we’ve lost something as a society that can be found by looking back to that time. Was it a simpler time? I can’t be sure. Every decade has its own set of problems. What I can tell you is that people valued relationships much more in those days.
I recently saw a comedian who joked about the contrast between his parent’s generation and our own. At his parent’s house, they welcomed people who dropped by unannounced and even had a coffee cake on hand for such occasions. Today, when someone unexpected rings the doorbell, we dim the lights and pretend we’re not home. It’s a sad but true reality. If someone stopped by my house today, I’d do the same. Why? Because my house isn’t ready for company. The laundry is in a pile in the hallway and the coffee cake is still sitting on the shelf at the store.
But, with my newfound affinity for this bygone decade, I think it’s time to change my ways. It’s time to get the house ready and prepare for company. And, well, you know I wouldn’t entertain without some good cocktails. So, here are a few cocktails that were popular in the 50s. Time to get the ingredients and stock the bar because we’ve got company!
Have you ever heard of a hot toddy? Don't let Usher confuse you. It’s actually an alcoholic cocktail that people drink when they’re sick, usually with the flu. Its history isn’t really known, but the best info we have points to the notion that it was created in Scotland in the 1700s to make the taste of scotch more appealing to the female gender. And just like most other home remedies for the flu, there are many variations of the hot toddy.
I’m going to share one variation with you today, but you may have heard of or even tasted others. That’s fine. Stick with the one you like best. But if don’t have any hot toddy recipes up your sleeve, you may want to give this one a shot. All of the recipes will be similar in that they contain a spirit, sweetener and a warm beverage. You can experiment with different versions of this drink using warm apple cider, brandy and sugar or coffee, rum and syrup. Use your imagination to create one that works for you. If you’re avoiding alcohol, or making a hot toddy for a sickly minor, just omit the alcohol.
You might notice that the mocktail version of the hot toddy looks a little familiar. It truly isn’t much more than tea with lemon and honey, but in this version we spice things up a little with freshly grated cinnamon. Serve it in an Irish coffee glass with a cinnamon stick to make it even more special (and less like your standard old tea).
For those of you making the cocktail version, I just have one bit of advice: Use the good stuff! The other ingredients in the drink aren’t strong enough to mask the flavor of a poor quality bourbon. I always say, if you’re going to taste it, make it good!
Hot toddys really work wonders at making you feel better, if only for the moment. Be sure to also drink a lot of water and take some vitamin C, and you’ll be back on your feet in no time, so you can get back to your day job as a postal worker, tattoo artist, lawyer, or whatever it is you do so well. Just remember to pay it forward. Remember to tell your coworkers about the hot toddy when they’re feeling down and out.
Hot Toddy Recipe
1 black tea bag
1 oz. bourbon
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. lemon juice
Freshly grated cinnamon
Steep the tea in 6 ounces of boiling water. Add bourbon, honey and lemon juice. Stir and top with freshly grated cinnamon.
Hot Toddy Mocktail
1 black tea bag
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. lemon juice
Freshly grated cinnamon
Steep the tea in 6 ounces of boiling water. Add honey and lemon juice. Stir and top with freshly grated cinnamon.
