Cocktails: A knockout toddy

In a year when everyone seems to be drinking outdoors, said Kara Newman in Bloomberg.com, the hot toddy is making a comeback. A toddy is “bartending at its most basic”: You simply combine whiskey, sugar, and lemon, then add scalding water and any spices you like. New York City’s Dead Rabbit, named World’s Best Bar in 2016, sets a higher standard. Its toddy requires honey syrup (2 parts honey dissolved in 1 part hot water) and a lemon “sherbet.” The sherbet is made by letting ½ cup sugar and the peels of 4 lemons sit a few hours in a lidded container, then adding ½ cup fresh lemon juice, shaking until the sugar dissolves, and discarding the peels. Now combine ½ oz sherbet and ½ oz honey syrup with 2 oz Powers Irish Whiskey and a dash of Angostura bitters. Stir in 3 oz of boiling water and garnish with grated nutmeg.