A&M are facing off again; this time, over our favorite boozy wintertime comfort: the Hot Toddy. We're upping the ante for you too -- in addition to Editors' Picks, we'll (happily) test the most promising entries and name a Wildcard winner to receive a special prize from Williams-Sonoma. To the liquor cabinet!
These are not your usual contests. We have a slightly nutty system but it works. Together, the Food52 community has created two cookbooks this way -- there’s no stopping us now. Read about it
Read about it »
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The ingredients: white wine (dry or just off-dry), pear brandy (Poire William), Asian pear, cloves, ginger, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon and honey.
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Step 1: Open the wine!
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I used a dry Riesling for this batch, but I also liked it with Grüner Veltliner.
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Fresh ginger makes all the difference in this recipe -- as does making sure the rest of your spices aren't stale!
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Feel free to add honey to taste -- I used 3 tablespoons, but it all depends on the dryness of the wine and how sweet you like your mulled wine.
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Once the wine has steeped for 15 to 20 minutes, it's time to add the brandy. Once you've added it, you don't want to reheat the wine too much, or you'll lose the flavor -- and the alcohol content!
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There's nothing to this toddy: just rye whiskey, lime, raw sugar, and dried cherries.
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For each toddy, peel a single strip of zest from a lime.
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Gather up a few dried cherries.
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Add them to a mug along with a teaspoon of raw sugar, for a faint caramel flavor.
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Add the rye (or bourbon, if you prefer).
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Then stir in 6 ounces of boiling water, and stir to dissolve the sugar, as your guest looks on.
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