Sleepy Time Hot Toddy - Old School Cold Remedy

Turn a classic hot toddy into a bed time treat with this late night twist on the old school cold remedy. Sleepy time tea, honey, lemon, ginger and a bit of whiskey are so delicious you'll want one every night!

Hot toddies are a popular winter drink with good reason. They're easy to make and even easier to drink. And while they won't cure your cold, they will make it much more tolerable.

The mix of liquor and hot water isn't for everyone though. I decided to add a few more ingredients to mellow out the flavor and add some powerhouse immune boosters.

When I'm feeling down before bed I turn to a bag of Chamomile Nights tea and a bit of old-fashioned whiskey instead of cold medicine. NyQuil knocks me out and I can't take it when I'm home alone with the kids (which is not fair because they're always the ones bringing home colds!)

My drink of choice is Wild Turkey American Honey. It's not super harsh and it has a turkey on the bottle.

To be honest that's probably why I picked it out in the first place. I also use it to make my own blackberry whiskey but that's a recipe for another day.

Hot toddies are a tradition but they also have some science behind them. The alcohol dilates blood vessels which helps your mucus membranes deal with the cold infection.

It also makes it easier to sleep. It's important not to over do it though, stick to one drink or you may end up with more problems than you solve.

You should do yourself a favor and find some quality honey for this. If you can get local, raw honey do it!

Honey will help soothe a sore throat and can also act as a cough suppressant. It's also a great way to get kids to drink herbal tea (leave the whiskey out of their cups!).

The lemon is a tasty touch and it has quite a few health benefits as well, even though the benefits from a few slices probably aren't that impressive. Lemon reduces phlegm, it's also anti-bacterial and antiviral.

The extra boost of vitamin C won't hurt either. I always take a Vitamin C and Zinc supplement when I feel a cold coming on.

Ginger is another anti-cold powerhouse. It is anti-inflammatory and will soothe a sore throat. It's also great if your stomach is feeling off.

Sleepy Time Hot Toddy Recipe:

• Fill a mug with boiling water, add a generous spoonful of raw honey and a bag of your favorite chamomile tea.
• Add sliced lemon and ginger, beat them up a little first to get the juices flowing.
• Top it up with some honey whiskey.
• Cuddle up with your cup, an electric blanket, some Netflix and get your rest on.

My daughter Mary was very interested in my photo taking, she added in some special staging props. I promised her I'd show all my friends her picture:

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