Warm Toasty Drinks

 Spring may be just around the corner but it's still frosty out there. It's time to warm up with late winter with a warm and toasty drink. They can be boozy or just fill with sweet , hot goodness. Either way they will warm you to your toes.

Saint Patrick's Day is Thursday and many will sip an Irish coffee. This was a big after dinner drink in the Seventies and Eighties yet it's much older than that, beginning with Joe Sheridan, a chef at Foyne's Point in Limerick.He created this iconic after dinner cocktail in the 1940's and it came to San Francisco in 1952 thanks to travel writer Stanton Delaplane..Irish coffee a definite toe warmer that has all sorts of flavors in it. Start off with a warmed mug and then fill with just four ounces of strong black coffee and two teaspoons of brown - not white - sugar. One once of  whiskey is then added  followed by a spooning of one ounce of lightly whipped heavy cream.What's the best coffee to use? Any one you want. whatever you think is the best and the most flavorful works. Then there's the whiskey.Many a mixologist would recommend the pricey Jamieson but you can use what works for you. Sip it slowly to fully appreciate the blend of flavors. Another favorite chill chaser is hot buttered rum.This is basically rum mixed with spiced butter. This spiced butter is flavored with cinnamon .cloves and nutmeg along with a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla Hot water is poured over the rum and butter and a cinnamon stick is added for more taste.

What about those who want a non boozy warmer? Hot chocolate is your best bet. Ditch the packets and make your own. One of the most decadent is French hot chocolate. You should used chopped dark chocolate because this will give the drink a velvety texture. Two cups of whole milk is cooked in a saucepan as the chocolate is added. You can add a tablespoon of brown sugar and a teeny pinch of salt. Many add a good dollop of freshly whipped cream to make it more decadent. if you want a spike of spice then consider the Mexican version.This is made with cocoa powder and chopped bittersweet dark chocolate. Cinnamon is added and for kick a little pinch of chili pepper. You can really zing it up with a teensy bit of cayenne pepper. It's just cooking these and whole milk in a saucepan over a low flame. If tea is more your thing then go for a spicy chai. Use a good Assam or Darjeeling black tea for a more authentic flavor. Cinnamon sticks and cloves give it that tongue nipping taste. Also add green cardamon pods. You can find these at any Asian grocery store. Ginger is a must and it's sliced into coins to be added to this mix. These are boiled with the tea bags and water. Milk is added later along with any kind of sugar. The whole brew is boiled and then poured into cups or mugs for a tasty sip.

It's still winter. RIde it out with a hot toe warming drink. It can be boozy or a teetotaller's delight. All that matter is that it warms you against a late season chill.