Jessi Pereira
The Bipolarity of Texas Weather Would Drive Anyone Crazy, But One Thing Remains Constant: A Hot Toddy Is Always Great For The Cold.
Welcome to The Cocktease, where we aim to weekly present you a tasteful preview and review of a cocktail in DFW that deserves your attention, mouth and monetary support. For a good time, here’s something that might fit your personal tastes, because when I sip, you sip, we sip.
Name: Don’s Hot Toddy.
Where to get it: Ten Bells (232 W Seventh Street, Bishop Arts).
Cost: $6.
When to order: When it’s so cold all you can do mutter “fuck, fuck, fuuuuuuuuck” when you get into your car in the morning.
Ingredients: Gin, Applejack, lavender bitters, honey, lemon and of course, hot water.
Pairs well with: Soup, a cigarette or both.
A little more to sip on: This is Don Morrison’s version of GM Britt Canady’s take on a Hot Toddy. According to Morrison, he couldn’t quite remember what a particular guest’s special requested gin toddy was, so he made his own version with Applejack.
Let’s be honest, last week’s drastic weather change took us all by surprise. It seems like every year, no matter how long you live in Texas, you never truly get adjusted to the cold. Even if you finally do adjust, by that time the weather has already shot back up to 80 degrees and you’re back to square one. It’s a vicious cycle.
Despite unreliable and fluctuating weather, you can always count on the hot toddy. In its purest form it’s simply hot water, whiskey, honey and lemon. It can be made at pretty much any restaurant that serves sweet tea or any bar that is smart enough keep a tea kettle stashed away in the back bar. (Bartenders, it’s time to dust the kettles off if you haven’t already.)
But, if you’re looking for a non-traditional take on a very traditional cold weather drink, Don’s Toddy is a sweeter and more floral version of the old school Hot Toddy. Ideally, this is the cocktail built for avid tea sippers or just folks looking for a warm, cozy and effortlessly sippable cocktail.
Photo by SM Sanz.