Alcohol Kills Germs

In light of it being flu season (booooo), and Pittsburgh's Whiskey Festival (yaaaaay!), I posted a link yesterday on my Facebook page about an all natural shot of Nyquil from that I found on one of my favorite blogs www.urbanhonking.com. In response to this post, my good friend Reshma sent me this recipe for a Hot Toddy. Enjoy!

Alana, this reminds me of my invention for a hot toddy recipe (which could be good as an easy to make winter drink for those partygoers who are under the weather and not wanting to drink a regular full-alc dehydrating cocktail but too proud to admit it).

I invented this 5 years ago when I spent a 30 below 0 winter in Minneapolis during fellowship. I swear by this stuff when I am sick. Great for sore throat, cough, fever. Works better than anything I could prescribe myself and best of all no buzz!

Reshma's Hot Toddy

1 shot Remy Martin VSOP or other good cognac
Juice of 1/2 lime (not lemon!)
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1-2 tsp honey
5-6 mint leaves, torn
Boiling water

Muddle ginger, mint and lime juice at bottom of tall coffee cup. Add cognac and muddle some more, then honey. Fill to top with boiling water, stir, let steep a few min and enjoy.

Pittsburgh Magazine "Best of Green"

Best Cocktail Mover and Shaker: Spencer Warren, owner of the Firehouse Lounge (2216 Penn Ave., Strip District), was one of the first mixologists on the scene in Pittsburgh. He also is one of the first to introduce organic cocktails to the region. Organic and local are both things that are very important to Warren, and as a result, he has had a lot of fun creating specialty drinks. While he relishes serving cocktails made from unique and fresh ingredients, he is quick to point out the limited availability of true organic spirits on the market. With that said, Warren delights in serving up organic selections such as a Prairie/40 North vodka cocktail and a sangria made from BD (biodynamic) wines. His ambitious drink menu, which changes seasonally, includes some interesting and mouth-watering favorites such as a Bluecoat Blossom, the Curious George or a Lime or Lavender Mojito. Drink responsibly and organically.

The Firehouse Lounge was featured on the April 2009 issue of Pittsburgh Magazine.
For more of this article click here

And since I'm on the topic, here are a few more of my favorite green things in Pittsburgh:

Equita (Italian for fairness) is a design-conscious shop showcasing the finest in green, sweatshop-free and Fair Trade essentials for the body and home. WWW.SHOPEQUITA.COM

Artemis Environmental Building Materials displays and sells high-quality, environmentally responsible, "green" building products. Opened in Pittsburgh in the spring of 2005, ARTEMIS is designed to expand the availability and use of green building products in the tri-state region.
www.artemisenvironmental.com

Farmers at the Firehouse 2216 Penn Ave., Strip District. 9 a.m-1 p.m. Saturdays (seasonal)
No offense to any of the area's other fine weekly meeting grounds for folks who grow our food, but this foodie magnet has it all. It's mostly organic, for one -- the region's only market with that distinction, and just the first sign of its commitment to sustainable agriculture.
www.slowfoodpgh.com