A Hot Toddy (and a last minute Holiday Gift Guide)

I’ve always loved the idea of a hot toddy, but until last week I’d never had one.

I first read about (and was intrigued by) Amanda Hesser’s Hot Toddy with Dried Cherries and Lime almost a year ago. It sounded so warming and delightful…I’ve no idea why I didn’t make it right away.

When I spied it once again in my recently acquired food52 Holiday Recipe and Survival Guide, it was the first recipe I tried from the app.

I changed up the toddy a tad: I used apple cider for 1/2 of the water, Meyer lemon zest instead of lime zest, and unsulphured dried apricots instead of dried cherries. And instead of rye whiskey, I used Tuthilltown Spirits Baby Bourbon Whiskey; I am not a big drinker, but I absolutely LOVE Tuthilltown’s bourbon. And talk about local- the Tuthilltown distillery is less than 5 minutes from my house :)

I can’t say with absolute certainty if this or any toddy will chase a cold or flu away, but I do know that it’s a great winter treat. Note that you can also make this toddy with brandy or rum, and that you could use brewed herbal or black tea instead of the water and/or cider. Adding a cinnamon stick is a nice touch if you use the cider; you could also grate some nutmeg on top.

I love that this toddy was included in the food52 holiday app, and I really love the app as a whole. If you have an iPad, you should treat yourself to it. The app is beautifully photographed, and filled with “low-stress” recipes that are perfect not just for entertaining, but for any meal during the holiday season. I was honestly a little skeptical about the app at first. I hesitated to buy it because I use the food52 website all the time and have the new cookbook: I wasn’t sure what more the app would offer. But having spent some time with the app over the last few weeks, I can honestly say that using it is a completely different experience. In addition to the recipes, there are numerous helpful tips and holiday cooking strategies, as well as slideshows and fun video tutorials. At $9.99 it’s a pretty great deal, and would make a sweet gift for the cooks on your list and/or for yourself.

Now, if you’ve been following along, you know that I’ve posted some homemade holiday gift ideas recently. If you’ve missed them, however, please check out my Spiced Pumpkin Granola, Chocolate Mint Sugar Scrub, and Thai Inspired Cashew Brittle. And, from last year, how about Homemade Crystallized Ginger, Candied Kumquats, and/or Sweet and Spicy Pecans?

And if you are still looking, here are 30 more ideas for gifts that are perfect for giving someone special (or yourself):

Apps, Ebooks, and Books I Love:

Dorie Greenspan’s Baking App
Guilty Kitchen’s beautiful Holiday Recipes Ebook
In Conversation with Exceptional Women Ebook by Monica Bhide
An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler
Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
Good Food To Share by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan
Ancient Grains for Modern Meals by Maria Speck
Homemade by Clodagh McKenna
Design Sponge at Home by Grace Bonney
The Beekeeper’s Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes & Other Home Uses by Richard A. Jones and Sharon Sweeney-Lynch