This gin-based hot drink looks clear at first, then turns a bright ruby hue as the sachet, which is filled with hibiscus tea, infuses. “The changing color is part of the surprise,” Maxime Belfand explains.
Three-Minute Toddy
Maxime Belfand, Saxon & Parole | New York

Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 1/2 ounces gin, preferably Ford's
- 1/2 ounce Italicus liqueur
- 3/4 ounce cardamom syrup (see Editor's Note)
- 5 ounces hot water
- 1 hibiscus sachet (see Editor's Note)
Garnish: dried lemon wheel
Directions
- In a footed Irish coffee mug, stir together first four ingredients.
- Add sachet, and allow to steep for three minutes.
- Remove the sachet and garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.
Editor's Note
Cardamom Syrup
Combine equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then stir in crushed cardamom pods (about 1/4 cup per cup of water). Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool for about an hour before straining out the cardamom.
Hibiscus Sachet
1/2 teaspoon dried hibiscus leaves
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
pinch allspice powder
1/2 teaspoon of rooibos tea