Recipe
What could be more perfect on a chilly evening than a warming mug of spiced hot gin toddy?(Mulled Gin, Warm Gin Sangria, Caribou Cocktail). Nothing really, so let's take a quick look at what a hot toddy is.
The drink has three potential origins. The first being colonial India in the 1610s and was derived from the Hindi word “taddy,” which translated into a drink made with fermented palm sap. In 1786, the word became official and was defined as an alcoholic drink made with hot water, spices, and sugar.
The second origin is the Celtic tradition of yuletide celebrations where whisky was added to tea and sweetened with honey and spices.
The third and the one which inspires this recipe is the "wassail" an Anglo Saxon Yuletide celebration in mid-winter feasting halls with giant bowls of a sort of warmed punch made using cider, ales, mead, spices and crab apples.
Served in our lovely copper mule mug here is the perfect hot toddy (or wassail) for your next gathering. (makes a large pot for 10 -12 people)
Hot Spiced Apple Gin Toddy
In a large saucepan warm 1 litre of water and 2 litres of cloudy apple juice with 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, a teaspoon of cloves, a sprinkle of ground ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon along with a spoon or two of honey. Add some thin slices of apple and fig or other winter fruit to simmer for 10 minutes.
Close to serving time add one large bottle of ginger beer and one large bottle of ginger ale along with 3 cans of dry or cloudy apple cider. The last addition is a bottle of Autumn edition spiced apple and fig gin. You don't want to boil off all the alcohol so take it off the heat and keep covered until serving up around the firepit.
