Beverages to warm you up and calm you down
Photos by Tina Wallace
As much as we’d like to pretend summer isn’t over, the chilly weather has arrived. Here are three drinks—one non-alcoholic, two alcoholic—that should help you cope with the transition and keep you warm during the cold fall and winter months.
Cinnamon Hot Toddy
Here’s a hot drink, but don’t try to drink one of these before an exam, unless you’re trying to go to class tipsy or drunk, in which case—carry on.
1 chamomile tea bag
1–3 shots whisky or rum (to taste)
1 tsp honey
1 cinnamon stick
Slice of lemon
Make the tea and add the cinnamon stick and honey. Pour your alcohol of choice into the tea and stir, then garnish the mug or cup with the lemon slice. The amount of honey can be adjusted depending on how strong you’d like your drink to be.
Amaretto Kiss
If you’d prefer something cold, this might be more up your alley. Some find Amaretto’s teeth-melting sweetness too much to handle on its own, so cranberry and orange juice will help reduce the sugary taste and turn it into something more palatable.
1 shot Amaretto
1 shot vodka
Orange juice
Cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail—you don’t want any added sugar)
Ice
Fill a glass with ice. Add the vodka and Amaretto and fill the glass three quarters of the way with cranberry juice. Top off the glass with orange juice and stir. To really make a statement, twist the rim of your mugs or glasses in a splotch of honey and dip that in sugar, then garnish the rims with fruits that pair well with your beverage—a martini stick with a few cranberries on it would work well in the Amaretto Kiss.
Apple-Cranberry Cider 
A hot mug of this drink is a great way to warm up after a long, cold day. It also serves well for parties, and should be a staple during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
2 cups apple juice
2 cups cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail)
2 orange pekoe tea bags
1 cup hot water
1 cinnamon stick
Handful of cloves
Brown sugar (to taste)
Slice of lemon
Pour the cup of hot water into a large pot. On low heat, let the tea steep for a minute or two, then add the rest of the ingredients (except the brown sugar). Turn up the heat to a low simmer, but don’t let it boil. Cover the pot and let it simmer for five minutes, then reduce the heat to low and enjoy. If the drink is too sour, you can add brown sugar until the recipe fits your taste. This makes five servings.
