Chawari Toddy

Name: Chawari Toddy
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American

Recipe: Reprinted from The Way of the Cocktail by Julia Momosé and Emma Janzen. Copyright © 2021 by Julia Momosé. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Photo: Kevin Miyazaki

December 10, 2021

A warming combo that’s a favorite in Japan.

In Japanese drinks culture, the combination of shochu and tea is classic. In her book (co-authored with digital editor Emma Janzen) The Way of the Cocktail, Kumiko owner Julia Momosé explains: “It’s the kind of drink I might put together at home—straightforward and light-bodied, demonstrating balance of the mild tannins of the tea and the flavor of the spirit. It’s also low-proof, so you can snuggle up with a full pot of tea and a bottle of shochu for a prolonged and pleasant evening of sipping.” For this recipe, she suggests a shochu around 25% ABV.

Ingredients

5 oz. hot bancha
1 ½ oz. shochu
¼ oz. rich honey syrup

Garnish:lemon or orange wheel

Preparation

Pour the freshly brewed bancha into a mug. Add the shochu and honey syrup. Stir briefly to combine. This doesn’t need a garnish, though if you want, you can garnish with a lemon or orange wheel to add a lingering marmalade note over the top of the drink.

Hot Bancha: In a glass or ceramic brewing vessel, combine 2 tsp. of bancha and 6½ oz. of water just off the boil (around 195°F) and steep for 2 to 3 minutes. Bancha may be resteeped up to three times. As you resteep, you may need to raise the temperature of the water incrementally. Makes 6 ounces.

Rich Honey Syrup: Combine 2 parts honey to 1 part hot water by weight. Stir until the honey has fully dissolved. Store refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.