I’ve had a cold.  The kind of cold that doesn’t stop you in your tracks to watch hours of television, but lets you go out in the world for days on end until you finally realize that you’ve been ill for a good part of a month, and your cough is suddenly coming on so hard that your whole body turns into a pitiful example of bad health.

This is especially difficult over the holidays where you often need to buck up, add an extra layer of make-up under your darkened eyes, and celebrate through your fog of snot and goo. In the midst of all of this, I saw the light through the power of a hot toddy.  Now the history of this drink is unclear.  Some say that it was founded in India, while other sites insist that it’s Scotland (which makes more sense to me).

The recipe is simple: use hot water or a nice hot tea; add a slug of bourbon, scotch, or whiskey; stir is a hunk of good honey, a shot of fresh lemon.  Sip slowly and enjoy.

The hot water clears the sinuses, while the honey coats the throat.  The lemon gives you that burst of vitamin C  (I assume) and the whiskey dulls the cold.  Now, I’m not saying that it’s smart to drink these all day, but if you are home and want to try something a little more natural, I suggest you give this drink a try for your next cold.

It’s a miracle.

Spending the last month of 2012 with this cold, I’m wishing for some good health at the start of this fresh new year. So, I’m giving a quick toast to the year 2013.  May it be healthy, happy, and prosperous.  And by all means, try a hot toddy.  You’ll love it.