I salivate over cocktail ice.
I know that's not exactly normal. But I love those laser-cut, crystal-clear hunks of ice that are behind the bar of fancy cocktail bars. Without ice like that, cocktails are likely to stay cold for only a few minutes before dissolving into a sad, room temperature glass of something I definitely don't want to drink.
There's one glaring exception to my only-drink-cocktails-with-ice rule: Thehot toddy.
Obviously there's no need for ice in a toddy, which, as the name suggests, is served steaming-hot. And that's half the point—to provide a boozy, comforting warmth that's just about the only thing that helps me get through the bitter cold winter months.
So for this month'sHouse Cocktail, I developed theMaple-Ginger Hot Toddy, a twist on the classic toddy that's sweet, stiff, and smoky all at once.
Start by brewing a batch of double-strength ginger tea—that is, brew it with two bags instead of one. That's going to be your feel-good base layer that every winter cocktail deserves. Next, give the drink two doses of maple: one fromsmoked maple bourbon (like thedelicious one made by Knob Creek), the other from fresh maple syrup. Finally, add a bit of lemon for acid.
The result is a potent, dangerously drinkable cocktail that kind of feels like you're just drinking the most delicious pot of tea you've ever brewed—just one that you'd never want to drink iced.
