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Herbs & Cultures

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Hot grog

Hot rum with water, lemon and sugar: from sailors' drink to a household remedy for a cold winter evening.

Traditional use

Time
5 minutes
Makes
1 glass
Lemon

Grog comes from the British Navy. In 1740 Admiral Edward Vernon had his sailors' rum ration diluted with water, and that mixture became known as grog. Hot, with lemon and sugar or honey, it became a drink for colds across north-western Europe. The Scots make a hot toddy with whisky. The warmth, the lemon and the honey are soothing; the alcohol mainly helps you fall asleep.

Ingredients

  • 4 cl dark rum
  • 150 ml hot water
  • Juice of half a lemon and a slice of lemon
  • 1–2 tsp sugar or honey
  • Optional: a clove or a cinnamon stick

Step by step

  1. Rinse a heatproof glass with hot water.
  2. Dissolve the sugar or honey in the hot water.
  3. Add the rum and lemon juice and drop in the slice of lemon.
  4. Drink hot, just before bed.

Tips

  • Without alcohol, hot water with lemon and honey is also a good drink for a sore throat.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

Read more about effects and safety on each herb’s page.

  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 221

    Lemon

    Citrus limon

    Traditionally attributed effects: anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, diuretic, strengthens the veins.

    Ayurveda+3Folklore

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

The herbs in this recipe also appear in these traditions.