The ROOT Toddy

Recently my dear friend, Virginia Lee, noted on Harness Your Kim Chee that Google Analytics had revealed a treasure of information about the visitors of her blog.  Among it all, users had been touring the literature for her own kim chee recipe.  She hadn't quite come to that conclusion when formulating the name of the site and posting recipes.

In February, I began writing about ROOT liqueur.  And at Tonic, I serve a cocktail that we call The Rusty ROOT.  Well thanks to Google Analytics, it seems that users have drifted to DLDGLG in hopes of discovering other ROOT liqueur cocktails.  Some have even been looking for combinations of ROOT and cherry bitters, which I found very interesting.  I'm guessing somebody had a ROOT cocktail with that combination at a bar somewhere. 

But I wanted to carry ROOT in a different trajectory.  According to Art in the Age:

ROOT traces its heritage all the way back to the 1700s when colonists were first introduced to the Root Tea that Native Americans would drink as an herbal remedy. Brewed from sassafras, sarsaparilla, wintergreen birch bark, and other roots and herbs, Root Tea was used to cure a variety of ailments. As colonial settlers passed the recipe down form generation to generation, the drink grew in potency and complexity. This was especially true in the Pennsylvania hinterlands where the ingredients naturally grew in abundance. These homemade, extra-strong Root Teas were a favorite in colonial homes and public houses all over the northeastern colonies.

Borrowing from the warm heritage of ROOT, I looked to the Hot Toddy as a vehicle for these flavors.  There's dozens of variations that I'm certain can be composed from this concept.  But this recipe is my initial attempt at an original delicious fall/winter beverage.   

The ROOT Toddy

- 2 1/2 oz of ROOT liqueur
- 3/4 oz of Gran Marnier
- 1 oz of home-made cinnamon syrup
- 1 orange rind
- hot water

Glassware: mug or toddy glass

Pour cinnamon syrup into the glass.  Throw in the orange rind.  Lightly muddle the rind into the syrup (don't break it as it will be the garnish). 

Add Gran Marnier and ROOT liqueur.  Add hot water and stir.  Enjoy.

The least troublesome manner of introducing the cinnamon (and possibly other spices, like nutmeg) was to create a simple syrup with it.  I anticipate a little more exploration with this drink.  Don't stray for too long, I may slip on a labcoat and take a swing at that ROOT and cherry bitters concoction.