Cocktail Recipe - Hot Turmeric and Ginger Toddy - Alcohol free (and the boozy) version.

Introduction
So it’s a cold wet day in January. You’ve lived rather too well over Christmas and not got outside enough, leaving yourself vulnerable to illness. OK, I’ve talking about myself but I’m sure I’m not alone.

Frankly, I don’t feel like a Martini today. I need to mend. So I thought I’d share a more medicinal cocktail and since it’s Dry January for many, I’ve eschewed the usual spirits. However I’ll explain how to make it boozy if you’d like.

First up, credit where it’s due, the inspiration for this came from the splendid Mistress of Mocktails site. My version is slightly different in that it’s vegan, and the quantities have been changed to suit my taste

This is a cozy and warming cocktail, perfect for sipping under a blanket. The more sorry for yourself you feel, the nicer it tastes too.

Ingredients
Water (enough to fill your favourite mug, and a bit more!)
½ tsp Ground Turmeric
1 tsp Chopped Fresh Ginger
½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tbsp Maple Syrup (on honey if that’s your thing)
1 slice of lemon
Lemon zest (for garnish)

Optional - 25ml whisky or 50ml if it’s an emergency.

Directions
Add water to a small saucepan and bring to the boil
Add Turmeric, Ginger, Cinnamon, Maple Syrup, Lemon Slice
Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes
Strain into a mug (use a tea strainer, rather than a cocktail one)
Serve!

History
The earliest documented use of the word ‘toddy’ was in 1786 when it was defined as a hot drink containing alcohol, water and sugar.

It traditionally contains scotch and it has the word ‘toddy’. It’s got to be Scottish right? It sounds quite Scottish.

Well, it certainly seems to have been popularised there and ONE of the theories of where it gets its name was that when drunk in Edinburgh, the water used would have come from Tod’s Well in Edinburgh. However, this is booze history and booze history is all oral so there’re always competing stories. Another story has it that an Irish doctor (Dr Richard Todd) prescribed a version of it (with brandy) to his patients.

What looks more certain is that it evolved from a drink in Colonial India in the early 1600s named after the Hindi word ‘taddy’, which was a drink made from fermented palm sap. Taddy was served cold so it would appear that we developed it there, putting it through iterations until bringing it back here and started serving it hot.

Okay, perhaps not the most beautiful drink!