Lemony Hot Toddy

Ingredients

• 3 sticks cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 1 whole nutmeg or 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• 10 lemons
• 1/2 cup turbinado sugar or honey (more to taste)
• 2 quarts water

Directions

1. 1

   Put the water, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and sugar into a saucepan to boil.

2. 2

   Cut the skin away from the pith (the bitter white part) from two lemons (more if they're small). Cut skin into strips and add it to saucepan.

3. 3

   When the pot comes to a boil, turn it down to a simmer, and let it simmer for at least 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Prepare the serving cups. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon (or more to taste) into each coffee mug that you're serving. If they want an "adult" toddy, put a shot of rum or bourbon into each cup too! Add a cinnamon stick and a slice of lemon.

5. 5

   When the toddy base is good and hot, pour it into the cups and serve!