The Vintage Girl (28 page)

If you're in Scotland, you need warming up. And there's nothing better on a chilly night than a good and strong Hot Toddy - also surprisingly effective at soothing wintery colds with its killer punch of Vitamin C and honey.

Hot Toddy

1. Take a strong glass or mug, and add 1tsp of
   honey
   , 2
   cloves
   , and stir in a good slug of
   whisky
   . (Heather honey and Scottish whisky, if you have it!)
   
2. Top up with just-off-the-boil
   water
   , and add a couple of slices of freshly cut
   lemon
   .
   
3. Add
   lemon juice
   to taste, if you prefer a less sweet version, or half a
   cinnamon stick
   for a spicier one
   
4. Retire to the fireside, and drink
   

A hot toddy kit - bottle of Scotch, a jar of local honey, unwaxed lemons and the right spices - also makes a welcome New Year house party gift.

*

Ginger Fling

Never leave out the noble souls manning the drive home, or those who don't drink - here's a refreshingly Scottish mocktail for them too. (No Iron Bru required.)

1. Put some fresh
   mint
   into a tall glass, add a couple of generous squeezes of fresh
   lime juice
   and some
   crushed ice
   
2. Muddle it around to release the mint and mix with the lime
   
3. Top up with a good quality (non-alcoholic!)
   ginger beer
   like Fentiman's or Fever Tree