Hot Toddies

To many Americans, who know the toddy only as a steaming après-ski pick-me-up, the term “hot toddy” may seem redundant. Yet it makes a legitimate distinction, for the cool toddy does exist. Both of these drinks reflect the climate of their birthplace; indeed, toddies may even be defined by their usefulness in countering the effects of extreme temperature.

The cool version has its origins in the tapped and fermented sap of certain tropical palms, for which British colonialists in India developed a taste and a name, toddy, derived from the Hindi word tārī.