I know it's cold out there

Both meteorologically and metaphorically speaking, it's a cold world. I saw a man plow into a woman as he was getting off the train a week ago. His shoulder hit her so hard that she looked like, oh, me on the receiving end of a Mike Tyson punch. Did he pause, slow down, see whom he had nearly trampled? Nope.

For this and for all the other ills of the world--and the below zero windchill that some of you have to put up with, I offer a recipe.

Hot Toddy

4 to 5 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 teaspoon honey
½ cup boiling water
1 ½ ounces brandy
Lemon wedge

Combine the cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise, and honey in a heat-proof snifter. Top with the boiling water and stir to melt the honey. Top with brandy. Squeeze the lemon wedge and drop into the snifter.

Shout out to Nicole for the photo!