'tis the season for a hot toddy..apparently.

I do recall mentioning a couple times on this blog I had every intention of being away for ten days on a glorious silence retreat where no bill collectors or salesmen could contact me and my only job would be to simply exist and meditate. According to my body? Bugger that.

I have what you would call a dreadful calamity. The flu. Seeing as I can't find inner peace in the mountains of the Sunshine Coast of Australia, it looks like I'm going to have to find pleasure in my tissue box at home. Or.. in my liquor cabinent.

I have to admit, I never heard of this drink in America when I lived there. It seems to be, to me, a very British and Australian thing to have. I'm not surprised Australians would have a keen eye to adopt liquor as a medicine at the first chance they got. Thus, I give you: the hot toddy.


100mL of Bundaberg rum (because I live in Queensland and we're all about local booze here)
2 cinnamon sticks
12 cloves
1 lemon
1 tbsp honey
boiling water to taste

Combine all the ingredients in the pot, first squeezing the lemons and then chucking the bastards in (I can curse, I'm sick). You don't have to but I adore the taste of lemon peels in my teas. Pour boiling water in. The less you poor in, the more liquored up you'll be. To be fair, I'm guessing on the 100mL of rum as well. I kinda went, "Hm, here's a flask of rum... about half that is 100mL. A little extra in case my measurements are off and well.. I already have most of the bottle gone, I might as well finish it up." Obviously I've embraced my new-found Australianisms. You should too.

Let steep for a few minutes before pouring or skulling and feel better soon!