Springtime may technically be just around the corner, but we’re still feeling the full force of winter at Portland State. We Vikings are no stranger to torrential downpours, chilly winds and freezing temperatures, but this snow and ice business is something entirely foreign. This is Oregon, damn it! We shouldn’t be dealing with this kind of nonsense.
If you find yourself shivering under tattered shawls in your dorm room or just a little chilly from the trek across campus, the best remedy to warm yourself up might just be some high-quality liquid winter cheer.
Adult Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
2 ounces peppermint schnapps
Cup of hot chocolate
Whipped cream
You’re an adult, so you might as well drink like one. The most simple recipe on this list, the Adult Hot Chocolate is a cold weather classic. Hot chocolate is delicious and alcohol is warming, so this is a winning combo. Start by pouring the schnapps into the mug. Next, take a sip from the bottle for good measure. Then proceed to fill the mug with hot chocolate. Give the mix a stir and you’re good to go. You can add a scoop or two of whipped cream on top if you’re feeling like you want a sugar high as well as the warming buzz.
Tequila Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
2 ounces tequila
1 cup hot chocolate
Whipped cream
Cayenne pepper/chili power — to taste
Both hot and spicy, the Tequila Hot Chocolate is the ideal drink to warm you up while giving your taste buds a little zap. To make it, mix 2 ounces of tequila and a cup of hot chocolate. Add a thick layer of whipped cream on top and sprinkle it with either cayenne pepper or chili power, whichever you prefer. These are traditionally served in a half-pint glass, but let’s face it; you’re in college, so feel free to use a mug or whatever you have lying around the dorm. It’s a warming agent in the form of liquid alcohol. Who cares what it comes in?
Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
1 ounce whiskey/brandy/rum/booze of choice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tea bag
1 cup hot water
1 lemon slice (if you’re feelin’ fancy)
The most iconic of winter warmers is the Hot Toddy. Feel free to use any type of brown liquor, but whiskey is ideal. Start by layering the bottom of the mug with honey, then pour the booze on top. While you’re doing the pouring and possibly sipping, boil water in a kettle and add it to a separate mug with the tea bag in it. Once the tea is steeped to your liking, pour it into the glass with booze and give it a good stir. Drink it down and repeat until your toes aren’t cold any more.
Irish Coffee
Ingredients:
1 cup hot coffee
1 tablespoon brown sugar or Baileys Irish Cream
3 tablespoons Irish whiskey
1 spoon of heavy cream
More of a coffee person? The Irish Coffee will be your go-to drink, then. Start by pouring the coffee, brown sugar and Irish whiskey into a mug, then stir. Plop the cream (heavy cream, not whipped cream) on top, but for the love of all that is alcoholic and holy, don’t stir it in. It’ll screw everything up. But, if you do, it’s still booze and it’s still drinkable. Plus, it’s an excuse to drink it down and try again.
If alcohol isn’t your thing, you can make all of these recipes sans-booze. But that pretty much just leaves you with hot chocolate, tea or coffee. But, hey! They’re hot, right?