Ivy honey sets hard in the jar - pale, firm, and a little resistant when you want to spoon it. A hot toddy turns that into an advantage. Drop a teaspoon into a warm mug, add lemon juice and hot water, stir for ten seconds, and it dissolves completely. What you’re left with is a clean, sharp, slightly aromatic drink that tastes like the end of a long day sorted.
Tips from Niamh: Ivy honey has a sharp, aromatic, almost menthol note that’s lovely in a warming winter drink. Best of all, dissolving it in hot water sidesteps its hard set completely - no wrestling a stiff spoonful into a cup. Let the water sit for a minute off the boil before you pour; too fierce a heat knocks back the honey’s character.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tsp Peninsula Ivy Honey
- Juice of half a lemon, plus a slice to serve
- 200ml hot water (just off the boil)
- 25ml Irish whiskey (optional)
Method
- Warm a mug or heatproof glass. Add the ivy honey and lemon juice.
- Pour over the hot water and stir until the honey has dissolved.
- Add the whiskey if using, and drop in a slice of lemon.
Ivy honey’s character comes through well in a drink like this - more so than in a bake, where heat would have longer to work on it. If you’re curious about why it sets so differently to other honeys, the post on why ivy honey sets hard explains the science behind it. Or if you’d like to use it in something to eat, the ivy honey and ginger flapjacks are a good follow-on.