Goodbye London... Hello Glasgow!!!

The Old Toll Booth of Glasgow

Glasgow’s bustling city centre

The time has come for Cara and I to start the next phase of our adventure. After our visit to Scotland earlier in the year, we’ve decided to move to Glasgow to live and work for the next 6 months.  To get into the new Scottish way of life, I’ve decided to pay tribute to one of the great scotch whisky cocktails, The ‘Hot Toddy’.

Like many of the classics, it’s history is rather vague. It has been said that the drink itself was created in India where the people used to mix fermented palm tree sap and hot water. The Scot’s claim that they created this drink in the 1700’s to make the strong taste of scotch whisky easier for women to drink. The locals also back up this story with a reference to the name “Toddy” in a poem by Allan Ramsey in 1721. Ramsey’s poem, “The Morning Interview” refers to the 'Todian Spring' (a.k.a Tod’s Well”) in Edinburgh which is the cities water supply. As water is one of the main ingredients in a hot toddy, the story seems to fit.

To make a basic hot toddy is very easy. Start with 2 - 3 slices of lemon. Add a tablespoon of honey. If you like your drinks quite sweet, you could also add a teaspoon of sugar along with the honey. Next, add 45ml of your favourite scotch whisky. I prefer a smokey, well aged whisky to give the drink the most flavour.  Lastly, top up your glass with hot water and stir the ingridients until it is blended together. If you are not a fan of scotch, rum or brandy are suitable substitute, but in Scotland making a hot toddy with anything else other than scotch whisky would be a crime.

I’m sure many hot toddy’s will be drunk over our time here in Scotland. We are both excited about exploring, living and working in Glasgow

“The Hot Toddy”
In a mug, or tall glass:
Add 2 - 3 lemon slices
Tablespoon of Honey
(Optional Teaspoon of Sugar)
45ml Scotch Whisky
Topped up with Hot Water