Hot Cocktails – Two Tea Based Hot Cocktails

HOT COCKTAILS

Two Hot Cocktails to Warm Your Spirits on a Cold Winter Day

By

VIKRAM KARVE

What do you drink to warm your insides on a cold damp winter day...? 

A cup of Tea...? 

That’s good. 

How about fortifying your “Cuppa Tea” to make it more “spirited”...? 

Yes – let’s us fortify your tea with something stronger.

Here are two recipes for Tea Based Hot Cocktails from my Foodie Archives. 

(Disclaimer: Try these recipes at your own risk) 

TEA BASED HOT COCKTAILS – RECIPES 

1. Whisky Tea Toddy 

2. Rum Toddy 

Take your pick… 

WHISKY TEA TODDY

Here is one of my favourite “Hot Cocktails” – a rousing Whisky Tea Toddy – just the right thing to fire you up inside out on the dampest of days and coldest of nights – a recipe breathtaking in its simplicity. 

FIVE WAYS OF MAKING A COCKTAIL

By the way – I am sure you know that there are five ways of making a cocktail: 

1. Layering

2. Building

3. Blending

4. Shaking

5. Stirring

Whisky Tea Toddy Cocktail is made by “Building”. 

Yes – we will “build” our Whisky Tea Toddy – which means that we will pour the ingredients directly in a large mug (or a glass tumbler) – one by one – strictly in the order given in the recipe below. 

RECIPE – WHISKY TEA TODDY 

STEP 1 

Brew one cup of steaming hot tea.

It is best to have Orange Pekoe Tea Leaves steeped for 5 minutes. 

(Orange Pekoe Tea is the highest grade of tea. 

Orange Pekoe (OP) is black tea of the highest quality. 

Orange Pekoe Tea contains new flush tea leaves – the youngest and tenderest leaves – young leaves picked with the bud from the plant – and – the highest grade of Orange Pekoe tea includes only the bud and must be picked by hand to avoid bruising. 

Orange Pekoe Tea is supposed to have many health benefits too. 

You can visit your Tea-Store and ask for Orange Pekoe Tea – or – buy branded Orange Pekoe Tea too. 

Among Orange Pekoe – Flowery Orange Pekoe Teas are of higher quality – Golden Flowery and Tippy Flowery even higher – and – Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe Grade1 (SFTGFOP1) is the crème de la crème of Teas. 

But remember – Orange Pekoe is a loose leaf tea and it is never sold in Tea Bags. 

Pre-Packaged Tea Bags contain Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP) – or – Orange Pekoe Dust or Fannings (small pieces of tea left over from the processing of full leaf teas). Small Pieces of Tea are preferred in Tea Bags because they have a much faster brewing time than loose leaf tea. Tea Bags also use Crush Tear Curl (CTC) Tea due to its strength, consistent flavour and fast infusion time). 

So – if you are a “connoisseur” of Tea – if you prefer flavour and aroma – then – it is best to use Orange Pekoe (OP) Tea. 

Otherwise – you can use your usual “boiled” CTC tea – if you want your Tea strong and rejuvenating.

Strain and keep the tea brew piping hot on the stove or in a vacuum flask. 

STEP 2

Now let us “Build” our Whisky Toddy Cocktail.

1. First – pour a generous spoon of Honey into a glass (or mug). Let the honey settle at the bottom of the glass.

2. Add a large peg of Whisky. (60 ml) 

3. Optional Ingredient (Lemon Juice) 

The person who taught me this recipe liked to squeeze in a wee bit of lemon juice – but I prefer it without the lemon juice – you can experiment and see for yourself – but if you do – add just a very few drops. 

Remember – just add the drops of lemon juice. 

Do Not Stir at this stage and ruin the Cocktail (Remember – you have to “build” your Cocktail first)

4. Pour in the steaming hot brewed Tea

Now that you have “built up” your Cocktail – you can give it a light stir to enable all the ingredients to mix – a very light stir – not a vigorous stir or shake. 

Now – cuddle up on your warm sofa and sip the invigorating Tea Toddy.

Close your eyes – focus on your insides as the hot whisky toddy goes down inside you – and experience how it warms you inside out.

If you prefer – try a large peg of Brandy instead of Whisky – but do not substitute Rum in lieu of the Whisky.

Rum Toddy is made differently – this cocktail is “blended” (and not “built”) – and you will really have  to “spice it up”.

I am giving below the recipe for Rum Toddy.

RUM TODDY - A ZESTY HOT COCKTAIL

(A Spicy Cocktail with Tea, Rum and Brandy)

1. Brew one cup of steaming hot tea (orange pekoe steeped for 5 minutes if you prefer the flavour and aroma – or your usual “boiled” CTC tea if you want it strong and rejuvenating).

2. Strain the tea in another vessel and keep this tea brew simmering on a slow flame.

3. Add a few cloves (lavang), a small stick of cinnamon (dalchini), close the lid and simmer for some time.

4. Blend in a teaspoon of honey.

5. Pour in One Large Peg of Rum and blend in.

6. Pour in One Large Peg of Brandy and blend in. 

(Brandy is optional – you may prefer to make this cocktail with Rum only). 

7. The moment the concoction boils – strain – and pour into a glass tumbler.

This steaming hot spicy rum cocktail is guaranteed to warm your insides and drive away the chill on a cold, damp, wet, rainy day.

“DOWN THE HATCH” 

Hey – what are you waiting for?

Just rush to your Kitchen (or Bar) – and quickly make your Hot Cocktail – and – drink it “Down the Hatch”

I guarantee it will enliven your spirits on the dampest, wettest and coldest of winter days.

Do tell us which of these two cocktails you liked more.

Cheers.

Disclaimer: It is best not to drink alcohol and if you want to try out these hot cocktails you must do so at your own risk, especially if you are allergic to tea or alcohol or have low alcohol tolerance.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. Try these recipes at your own risk. 

2. It is best not to drink alcohol and if you want to try out these hot cocktails you must do so at your own risk, especially if you are allergic to tea or alcohol or have low alcohol tolerance.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

     

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

 

This is a revised/updated version of my article written many years ago and posted a number of times on my various blogs including at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2013/06/monsoon-cocktails-hot-drinks-to-warm.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.com/2011/08/hot-cocktails-for-rainy-day.html etc

How to Organise Cocktail Party – Most Important Tip

COCKTAIL PARTY SUCCESS MANTRA

HOW I ORGANIZED SUCCESSFUL PARTIES

Memoirs of my “extra-curricular” Navy Life

A Spoof

By

VIKRAM KARVE

A Naval Officer is supposed to be a “Jack of all Trades but Master on One”

So – in addition to your professional “tradecraft” (your primary duty in which you are supposed to be a “Master”) – in the Navy – you are given a lot of “Bum Jobs” (euphemistically called “secondary duties”) – which you are supposed to perform to the best of your ability.

One of the “Bum Jobs” I enjoyed was organizing parties.

I was asked to this quite often – even when I was not the Mess Secretary. 

This indicated that I was good at organizing parties.

There are many “tips” for organizing good parties – food, drinks, snacks, décor, games, music, dancing, prizes, gifts, various arrangements for service etc – and I am sure you know most of them.

But – I will give you just one “tip” – the most important “tip” – which you probably don’t know.

Well – I used this “technique” with great success in official cocktail parties – but I am sure you can use it in various types of cocktail parties as well.

COCKTAIL PARTY SUCCESS MANTRA

This “mantra” is breathtaking in its simplicity:

LET ALCOHOL FLOW FREELY but KEEP WATER SCARCE 

I will repeat the “mantra” once more: 

Let Booze Flow Freely but Restrict Water/Soda 

I used to instruct the stewards to pour generous “Patiala Pegs” (three fingers of Whisky or Rum – which filled almost half the Whisky Tumbler).

All glasses were to be topped up with water or soda (a 50/50 Whisky-Soda or Rum-Water Combination)

Whisky and Soda were served separately only to the “VIP” – but even he was given a stiff “three finger peg” – and – the moment he picked up his glass – the Soda was quickly taken out of sight.

The stewards were given strict instructions to make alcohol easily available in plenty – but to keep water and soda scarce.

Now – like it happens in all “Fauji” Military Parties – all officers would crowd around the “VIP” or senior officers – vying for their attention.

The moment an officer sipped his drink – he would find it quite stiff – a bit too strong for his palate.

I made sure that water or soda was not available – the stewards would keep circulating with stiff “three finger peg” filled glasses of Whisky/Rum – but they were under strict instructions not to serve water/soda.

Now the officers had to choose from one of the two options:

1. Either they could leave the coveted “inner circle” by excusing themselves from the “VIP” – and they would walk all the way to the bar to get soda or water 

(Most “careerist” officers would hesitate to do this – since they would imagine that “excusing” themselves from the “VIP” may not be appreciated by the Senior Officer)

2. Or – they could continue to be in close company with the “VIP” – and keep sipping their drink 

After some time – their palate and tongue would get used to the strong drink. 

(Most officers would fall in this category)

Even for the “VIP” – he would be “encouraged” to sip his stiff drink – rather than making soda available easily.

The primary aim of a military cocktail party is to get the “VIP” quite drunk – or at least “high” – since – having the “VIP” in high spirits augurs well for the ship or unit. 

The pinnacle of success of a military cocktail party is achieved – if the “VIP” gets so drunk that he can hardly stand – and he has to helped out at the end the party.

Alcohol would flow freely – but – Water would be scarce.

Snacks and “small eats” would be kept out of sight – till everyone had imbibed enough alcohol and was in “high spirits”.

Within an hour – “spirits” would be high – and the party would be “swinging”.

Within two hours – most officers would have imbibed enough alcohol to achieve an abundant state of inebriation.

At the end of the party – three hours later – there would be atmosphere of drunken revelry and bonhomie.

Next morning – nursing their hangovers – everyone would “remember” what an enjoyable party it was – and I would be flooded with appreciation. 

“Memorable” parties are those in which you get so drunk – that you don’t remember anything next morning. 

Also – with everyone drunk – there would always be some hilarious antics by someone in his inebriated drunken state – which would be the talking point for the next few days. 

I remember a party where an officer got so drunk and emotional that he prostrated himself before the “VIP” at the end of the party 

(The “VIP” was also in “high spirits” – swaying from side to side – as he staggered towards his staff car) 

Next morning – everyone said that it was a most memorable cocktail party.

NB: 

Those days – in the Navy – officers drank as per the “colour of the sky” – so at evening cocktail parties – Whisky and Rum was served – and “pansy cocktails” and “ladies drinks” were kept out of these all-male “hard drinking” affairs.

It has been my experience that this “mantra” – Let alcohol flow freely but keep water scarce – works well for all cocktail parties. 

Pour “Three Finger Patiala Pegs” of Rum/Whisky and top them up with water/soda – and then – disappear the water/soda and let Rum/Whisky flow freely. 

Once the first stiff peg is down – your guests will get used to strong pegs – and start downing them fast – their “spirits” will be “high” pretty soon – and the party will be a grand success with everyone “enjoying” themselves in alcoholic trance. 

Also – with everyone in “happy” states of drunkenness – you don’t have to bother too much about the food – since – at the end of the hard drinking bout – with their “gustatory” abilities dulled with alcohol – your guests won’t discern the taste of food very much. 

The “proof of the pudding” of the success of the party is – if your guests get so drunk – that they don’t remember anything next morning – what they ate – how the party ended – how they got home – they should remember nothing – and they should wake up with a heavy hangover. 

Such guys will always say that the party was a “success”. 

So – “Let the Booze Flow Freely but keep the water scarce...”

Dear Reader: 

Next time you host a cocktail party – try it – and let us know if it worked for you. 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

  

Updated Re-Post of my Story COCKTAIL PARTY SUCCESS MANTRA posted earlier in this blog at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/10/cocktail-party-success-mantra.html

MONSOON COCKTAILS - Hot Drinks to Warm Your Spirits on a Cold Damp Windy Rainy Day

MONSOON COCKTAILS

Two Hot Cocktails to Warm Your Spirits on a Cold Damp Windy Rainy Day

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Monsoon Rains have arrived in Pune. 

It is raining incessantly all day – windy, damp, cold, squalls of rain drench me from the insides as I stand in my balcony in Wakad enjoying the awesome view of the Misty Mula Valley, surrounded by the instantly Green Hills, and the silhouette of the mighty Sinhagad Fort barely visible in the distance.

In order to enhance the experience of such moments you desperately need something to warm your insides.

A cup of tea?

Let us fortify your tea with something stronger.

Here are two recipes for Tea Based Hot Cocktails from my Foodie Archives

Take your pick …

WHISKY TEA TODDY

Here is one of my favourite “Hot Cocktails” – a rousing Whisky Tea Toddy – just the right thing to fire you up inside out on the dampest of days and coldest of nights – a recipe breathtaking in its simplicity.

By the way, I am sure you know there are five ways of making a cocktail:

1. Layering

2. Building

3. Blending

4. Shaking

5. Stirring

Here we will “build” our Whisky Tea Toddy, which means that we will pour the ingredients directly in a large mug (or a glass tumbler), one by one, strictly in the order given in the recipe below.

Brew one cup of steaming hot tea.

It is best to have orange pekoe tea leaves steeped for 5 minutes if you prefer the flavour and aroma.

Or you can use your usual “boiled” CTC tea if you want it strong and rejuvenating.

Strain and keep the tea brew piping hot on the stove or in a vacuum flask.

Now let us “Build” our Whisky Toddy Cocktail.

1. First, pour a generous spoon of Honey into a glass (or mug). Let the honey settle at the bottom of the glass.

2. Add a large peg of Whisky.

3. Optional Ingredient (Lemon Juice)

The person who taught me this recipe liked to squeeze in a wee bit of lemon juice, but I prefer it without the lemon juice – you can experiment and see for yourself, but if you do add just a very few drops. 

Remember, just add the drops of lemon juice. 

Do Not Stir at this stage and ruin the Cocktail.

4. Pour in the steaming hot brewed Tea

Now that you have “built up” your Cocktail you can give it a light stir to enable all the ingredients to mix.

Now cuddle up on your warm sofa and sip the invigorating Tea Toddy.

Close your eyes, focus on your insides as the hot whisky toddy goes down inside you and experience how it warms you inside out.

If you prefer, try a large peg of Brandy instead of Whisky, but do not substitute Rum in lieu of the Whisky.

Rum Toddy is made differently –  this cocktail is “blended” (and not “built”) and you will really have  to “spice it up”.

I am giving below the recipe for Rum Toddy.

RUM TODDY - A ZESTY HOT COCKTAIL

(A Spicy Cocktail with Tea, Rum and Brandy)

1. Brew one cup of steaming hot tea (orange pekoe steeped for 5 minutes if you prefer the flavour and aroma or your usual “boiled” CTC tea if you want it strong and rejuvenating).

2. Strain the tea in another vessel and keep this tea brew simmering on a slow flame.

3. Add a few cloves (lavang), a pinch of nutmeg (Jaiphal) powder, a small stick of cinnamon (dalchini), close the lid and simmer for some time.

4. Blend in a teaspoon of honey.

5. Pour in One Large Peg of Rum and blend in.

6. Pour in One Large Peg of Brandy and blend in.

7. The moment the concoction boils, strain and pour into a glass tumbler.

This steaming hot spicy rum cocktail is guaranteed to warm your insides and drive away the chill on a cold, damp, wet, rainy day.

Hey, what are you waiting for?

Just rush to your Kitchen (or Bar) and quickly make your Hot Cocktail and put it “Down the Hatch”

I guarantee it will enliven your spirits on the dampest, wettest and coldest of monsoon days.

Do tell us which of these two cocktails you liked more.

Cheers.

Top Up and Dance in the Rain and enjoy the Monsoon Season. 

Disclaimer:

It is best not to drink alcohol and if you want to try out these hot cocktails you must do so at your own risk, especially if you are allergic to tea or alcohol or have low alcohol tolerance.

VIKRAM KARVE 

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like this COCKTAIL?
I am sure you will like the 27 fiction short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL 
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.