Rambling and Rambles

What’s my fav chilly day drink. You’re just itchin’ to know...right?

Of course you are.

It’s the Hot Toddy.

Yeah that’s Toddy not Teddy. I never thought Teddy (Kennedy) was hot. Certainly couldn’t understand how he scored a looker like Joan.

Have I mentioned that she used to be an occasional customer of ours, at the print shop where Jen and I worked in Copley Square? Yeah, she’d stop in for the odd bit of repro and a chat now and then. I never got to see her since I was a basement dwelling pre-press rat but the upstairs crew were always glowing after she’d been in.

They said she was a boozy old thing but witty, warm and totally down to earth.

In any case, I never found any of the Kennedy men attractive except for John John of course. Damn, he had it goin’ on! Very Hugh Jackman-y, no?

Of course, those were the Bouvier genes at play.

BUT, to get back to it, Tuesday was a painfully chilly, drizzly, WHEN-will-Spring-kick-in kind of a day. Hillel and I met at Froggies, (which he’s begun referring to as The Elephant and Iguana). I got there first and ordered my new-ish bad weather bev -- the Hot Toddy.

Dunno how it’s usually made but Wendy, BEST barkeep EVER. always makes mine with Jameson’s (AKA nectar of the gods). I guess I’m a regular and/or word’s gotten ‘round because, on nights Wendy’s not there, the other awesome drink crafters always stop and ask ‘with Jameson’s right?’

I respond ‘yeah,’ and think ‘of course!’ That they asked made me wonder -- how is a Hot Toddy usually made?

Given my google-fu super powers, I checked.

Ingredients:
1 oz brandy, whiskey, or rum
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 lemon
1 cup hot water
1 tea bag
Preparation:
Coat the bottom of a mug or an Irish coffee glass with honey.
Add the liquor and the juice of the lemon quarter.
On the side, heat water in a tea kettle and add the tea bag to make hot tea.
Pour the steaming tea into the glass and stir.

AH. So it can be concocted from brandy or rum too. OK. And I suppose there are other whiskeys out there though why anyone would choose something other then Jamie is just beyond me! (she says with the most dramatic of flounces)

Today’s supposed to be sunny and in the low 60s (fahrenheit) so, in any case, not a Toddy day.

I’m heading into town for the gallery hopping, Public Garden picture snapping, Marlborough/Beacon Street strolling day that I’d originally planned for Monday before last. You know, Big Boom Marathon Day.

I’ll stop by the memorial in Copley Square and, possibly, visit The Charlesmark Hotel, right at ground zero for bomb number two. I used to love the first floor lounge. I’d sit, sip a martini and wait for Jen to get off work. The always stunning barkeeps would pepper me with questions. ‘How do you sign martini?’ How do you say thank you in ASL?’ ‘How can I tell someone to piss off in sign?’ ‘What’s the sign for asshole?’

I was always happy to assist. Swears and cocktail names being the first thing I always try to learn in any new language.

Of course.