avec le feu

2 oz. Ricard
3/4 oz. honey syrup (1:1 with water)
1 spritz of Clove spray (near as I can tell, it was a high-proof alcohol infusion)

Heat a 10 oz. mug with hot water (save hot water in another mug). Mix above ingredients in warmed mug, add hot water to top off. Garnish with a flamed lemon peel.

Fred DJ-ed last night at Ceremony - his 9th year running! I was feeling chilled, so I suggested hitting Eastern Standard for a nightcap afterwards.

Hugh asked me what I wanted, and my reply was "Hot." ES hasn't yet made the transition to the winter menu, but he suggested a hot pastis-based drink and mixed this up for me. You really have to be a pastis freak to love it - fortunately, I am such a freak.

It warmed me nicely, though I could have done with about 2 oz. less of the hot water (it cooled before I was completely finished). Normally they make this drink with a barspoon of pure honey instead of the syrup, but I find that the Ricard has enough sweetness for me, so I didn't miss the thicker honey shot. I also made the interesting discovery that flamed lemon peels aren't too awful (I still hate flamed orange, though). The flamed lemon did add a nice scent and just the right hint of flavor. I couldn't really taste/smell the clove except as a faint breath at the first sip. Fred isn't a clove fan, so even he liked it. I'd love to try making this at home, with some of the honey my co-worker gave me from her farm in Southboro. Mmmm.