Virgin Hot Toddy: A Non-Alcoholic Holiday Cocktail
A surprise hit on the botanical walks I lead, where a picnic rewards the exercise, is the hot toddy that I pour in late fall and winter. Photography by Marie Viljoen. But the surprise, for the eyebrows’ owners, is that their first, steaming sip is a happy one, because this warming toddy tastes satisfyingly grown up. A hot toddy (and soup) are portable winter picnic fare. Cold creek, hot toddy (in a heat-proof Picardie glass). It is spiced with local, seasonal aromatics, featuring the edible herbs and spices of maritime forests and land-locked woodlands. A frigid New Year’s Day picnic, with hot Forest Toddies. Variations I have made include pine cone jam, which you can make or buy; dried magnolia petals, for their gingery, cardamom-like bitterness; and fragrant sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina). Virgin Forest toddies with hardy orange and fir garnishes. Layers of botanical flavor give it a sense of toddy gravitas and the complexity that is often associated with booze. Blood orange and yuzu peel, crushed spicebush, fresh juniper, and bay leaf. While fir is the most aromatic of the needled trees, hemlock and spruce have plenty to offer, as do pine needles. Farmer’s market apple cider. Its sweetness is tempered by Earl Grey tea (bagged or loose-leaf), the above-mentioned spices, fresh bay leaf (from our indoor bay tree), and by different citrus zests. What about the cheong that my recipe calls for? But if you live near a Korean community... ...or an old-school international supermarket, you might be able to pick some up off a grocery shelf (New Yorkers, I’ve seen it stocked at the the Food Bazaar chain). Aromatics simmering with apple cider and citrus juices. Bottle the finished toddy and refrigerate it for up to a week. Letting all the hot toddy ingredients steep overnight before straining is ideal, for developing depth of flavor. To Steep: In a pot combine all the ingredients. Bring to a simmer and serve in heatproof glasses or mugs.