Use Tea To Boost The Flavor Of Your Next Hot Toddy

The rich sweet, spicy flavors in a hot toddy can be embellished with all kinds of ingredients to suit your taste, making it an incredibly versatile drink when a chill enters the air. You can lean more towards the sweet and throw in some honey or fruits, go sour with some citrus, or raise the heat with some extra hits of warming spices and even a pinch of pepper. Your choice of alcohol should also complement the flavor profile of your unique hot toddy, so take some time getting to know the subtle differences between Scotch and bourbon as well as other brown liquors like rum and brandy, all of which can be used as the base for your toddy.

And speaking of bases, it would be a shame if you diluted all these flavors by adding water to your drink. Instead, use tea for a deep and flavorful base to tie all your other toddy ingredients together. While it's not as controversial as adding cheese to hot chocolate, some toddy fans may wonder if it's the right addition for their cup. There's no reason to be wary, however, because tea is as versatile an ingredient as you can find. Adding it is also simple. To help navigate how best to incorporate tea into toddy, Foodie chatted with content creator and cocktail recipe developer Jordan Hughes, whose liquid creations have earned him a large, dedicated following on Instagram and TikTok under the handle of highproofpreacher.

As is the case with the spirit you use in toddy, tea also offers several options and should be selected based on the flavors of your drink. "Using some sort of tea in the hot water, like a chai or some sort of winter blend," is one of Jordan Hughes' top tips for making a flavorful toddy. Using a tea such as one of the above, which already come infused with seasonal spices, is an easy and effective way to add lots of warm flavor to your toddy. However, keep in mind that the tea provides base flavors only, so you should add fresh versions of any spices that you want to feature prominently in the drink.

If you enjoy a certain type of black tea like Earl Gray or English breakfast, go ahead and use that. Alternatively, you can also add fruit or herbal teas for more mild or fruit-forward flavor, or if you prefer caffeine-free options. Do not steep the tea for too long (5 minutes is generally sufficient), lest it turn bitter. Remember, you just need to add flavor and aroma to the water, not overpower your toddy with tea flavors. 

Looking for a seasonal snack to pair with toddy? Here's how to easily clean pumpkin seeds so you can quickly roast them and have the perfect munchies to go along with your steaming winter mug.