IT'S INEVITABLE this time of year - freezing winds bluster, slush carpets the sidewalk, and snow dusts your shoulders each morning on your way to work. Someday in the very near future, you're going to get sick. And when you do, you'll probably feel like spending the weekend bundled up in a blanket on your couch, remote control in one hand, bowl of chicken soup in the other.
Good news, sickies. There's no reason (or excuse!) to sit around stewing in your own petri dish of illness when a wealth of "get well" cocktails are close enough to drink. (Just let go of that wad of Kleenex first, okay? Thanks.)
Ingredients such as tea, orange juice, vitamins, and yes, sake, all have healing and soothing powers that will help you beat the winter sniffles without missing a beat. Plus, alcohol kills germs. (Right? Just go with it.) On to the drinks!
The great irony of this particular column is that, as I write it, I am battling a monster of a cold. I can barely think straight, much less drag myself to a bar. But once I get to 33 Restaurant & Lounge (33 Stanhope Street, Boston, 617.572.3311), my cough and swollen glands are all but forgotten and I order up a Chamomile-teani ($14). This soothing blend of honey liqueur, Bombay Sapphire gin, chamomile tea, and fresh lemon tastes like a comforting, home-brewed elixir. "Tea is a very hot infusion right now," says 33's beverage director Paul Westerkamp, who prides himself on his restaurant's use of all-natural ingredients. As well he should! That homey chamomile flavor shines through, and you'll forget that you're actually enjoying a cold martini instead of a warm mug of tea. Equally tea-licious - sorry - is the Tea Cane ($14), featuring 10 Cane rum, Chambord, crimson berry tea, honey syrup, and muddled berries. "These are complicated, intellectual drinks," Westerkamp notes. "A lot of [bartender Jen Harvey's] drinks are like wine and art. People may or may not like them, but they can be appreciated, because they're complex."
Hip-hop enthusiasts will appreciate what Vox Populi (755 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.424.8300) is rollin' out. The 50 Carat ($11) amps up a night on the town with Glaceaú vitaminwater. But not just any vitaminwater: Formula 50, to be precise - also known as 50 Cent's foray into the beverage industry. This grape-flavored health drink is actually tasty and - surprise! - provides 50 percent of the recommended daily dose of vitamins. At Vox, the 50 Carat starts with a splash of Champagne, into which a rock-candy stirrer is plunged. Bartender Leah Guerrette adds Cîroc Snap Frost vodka, white cranberry juice, and a splash of Chambord. The cocktail is surprisingly light and not too sweet, making it easy to drink. And drink. And drink. After two 50 Carats, you'll have taken in 100 percent of your recommended daily vitamins and be well on your way to recovery.
Sake has long been hailed for its medicinal benefits. The Japanese rice spirit (contrary to popular belief, sake is not a wine) is rich in amino acids and vitamins and is said to strengthen the immune system and lower blood pressure. It's also great for the hair and skin, which is why sake is cropping up all over the place as a key ingredient in beauty products. At Clio (370 Comm Ave, Boston, 617.536.7200), the Saketini ($11) - featuring Momokawa sake, Ketel One vodka, and cucumber - and the Ginko-Bai ($11), with plum-infused sake and mountain peach, will leave you feeling healthy and zen-like. Meanwhile, the healing powers of the Smoking Ginger($17), with Hangar One Buddha's Hand citron, yuzu, shiso, and ginger-lemon tea, are nearly instantaneous.
There's nothing like a hot toddy to warm you up on a winter night - and, as a bonus, to clear your head (and your nose). The steaming whiskey concoction has been around for centuries and is widely used as a "cure" for colds and flu. The Hot Toddy Alchemist Style ($8) at the Alchemist Lounge (435 S. Huntington Avenue, Jamaica Plain, 617.477.5741) is a fresh, fruity take on the old Scottish classic, heating rye up with honey, orange and lemon juices, and a clove-spiked orange. One sip of this drink and suddenly you're breathing easy. Of course, ordering a hot toddy on a jam-packed Saturday night in a bar might get you some strange looks, but hey - you're feeling sick and old lady-ish. Embrace your inner Scottish granny. @
[Photo by Ian Barnard]
