A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down is an old saying, but what better way to take the medicine than in a hot toddy.
The word toddy originally comes from India, and was a drink made by fermenting the sap of palm trees. Its earliest form was a beverage made of alcohol liquor with hot water, sugar and spices.
A hot toddy glass is a cup like glass, especially made to take hot water. It has a handle for ease of use and holds eight and a half fluid ounces.
Here I have concocted some modern Toddy’s with an ancient Chinese twist.
Ding Xang
- 6 fluid ounces of water
- ½ an inch of cinnamon
- 3 cloves
- 1 slice of lemon
- A teaspoon of honey
- 1 fluid ounce of V.I.P. Jiu 8
Put your water, cinnamon and cloves into sauce pan and bring to boil. Let it stand for one minute, then strain into your toddy glass. Add your honey and V.I.P. Jiu 8. Stir and add a slice of lemon.
To warm the spleen and stomach.
Dou Kou
- 6 fluid ounces of water
- ½ an inch of cinnamon
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 slice of orange
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 fluid ounce V.I.P. Jiu 8
Crush your cardamom pods and place into the sauce pan along with water and cinnamon. Bring to boil, let it stand for one minute then strain into your toddy glass. Add honey and V.I.P. Jiu 8, stir and add a slice of orange.
Resolves dampness and promotes digestion.
Chen Pi
- 6 fluid ounces of water
- ½ an inch of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of dried tangerine peel
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 fluid ounce of V.I.P. Jiu 8
Put your water, cinnamon and tangerine peel into sauce pan and bring to the boil, let it stand for one minute then strain into toddy glass. Add your honey and V.I.P. Jiu 8, stir and add a slice of tangerine.
Regulates Qi flow and resolves phlegm.
Bai Guo
- 6 fluid ounces of water
- ½ an inch of cinnamon
- 1 tea spoon of Ginkgo seeds
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 fluid ounce of V.I.P. Jiu 8
Put your water, cinnamon and ginkgo seeds into a sauce pan and bring to the boil, let it stand for one minute and then strain into your toddy glass. Add your honey and V.I.P. Jiu 8, stir and add a slice of lemon.
To strengthen lung Qi
Bo He
- 6 fluid ounces of water
- ½ an inch of cinnamon
- ½ a teaspoon of dried peppermint leaf
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 fluid ounce of V.I.P. Jiu 8
Put your water, cinnamon and peppermint into a sauce pan and bring to the boil, let it stand for one minute then strain into your toddy glass. Add your honey and V.I.P. Jiu 8, stir and add a slice of lemon.
To dispel wind heat.
Da Zao
- 6 fluid ounces of water
- ½ an inch of cinnamon
- 2 Chinese dates
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 fluid ounce of V.I.P. Jiu 8
Put your water, cinnamon and chopped dates into a sauce pan and bring to the boil, let it stand for one minute then strain into your toddy glass. Add your honey and V.I.P. Jiu 8, stir and add a slice of lemon.
Tones spleen and replenishes Qi.
Gou Qi Zi
- 6 fluid ounces of water
- ½ an inch of cinnamon
- 5 or 6 wolf berry’s
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 fluid ounce of V.I.P. Jiu 8
Put your water, cinnamon and chopped wolf berry’s into a sauce pan and bring to boil, let it stand for one minute then strain into your toddy glass. Add your honey and V.I.P. Jiu 8, stir and add a slice of tangerine.
Benefits the liver and kidneys.
Rou Dou Kou
- 6 fluid ounces of water
- ½ an inch of cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 fluid ounce of V.I.P. Jiu 8
Put your water, cinnamon and nutmeg into a sauce pan and bring to the boil, let stand for one minute then strain into your toddy glass. Add your honey and V.I.P. Jiu 8, stir and add a slice of lemon.
To warm the spleen and stomach.