Rum Toddy

Martin Chuzzlewit, Charles Dickens, 1838

1 oz. rum

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

½ cup boiling water

1 lemon slice, for garnish

1 cinnamon stick, for garnish

Place the rum, honey, and lemon juice in a mug, pour the boiling water over the mixture, and stir to combine.

Garnish with the slice of lemon and enjoy.

He could hang about a bar-room, discussing the affairs of the nation, for twelve hours together; and in that time could hold forth with more intolerable dulness, chew more tobacco, smoke more tobacco, drink more rum-toddy… than any private gentleman of his acquaintance.

Major Pawkins (“a gentleman of Pennsylvanian origin”) has a potential political career in the United States ahead of him, but due to some unwise financial decisions, “Mrs Pawkins kept a boarding-house, and Major Pawkins rather ‘loafed’ his time away than otherwise.” No matter, the major is fond of the Rum Toddy, a classic drink with rum, hot water, lemon juice, honey, and spices, which no doubt helps while away the hours while he discusses important affairs of the day … and his wife does all the real work. Thankfully, you can enjoy a Rum Toddy today without worrying about whether doing so is causing someone else to suffer from an unfair distribution of labor.