clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
Changing the Culture of Ole Miss Athletics The original Air Kiffin shirt is available here

Filed under:

Let’s make a Kermit Davis-inspired Hot Toddy

This will be sure to keep you warm during the polar vortex.

By Bob Lynch

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

So y’all gotten a load of this polar vortex yet? Shit’s hella cold. So cold, in fact, that people in the Midwest are being warned against taking deep breaths or talking outside, you know, to prevent their lungs from freezing. That’s miserable and horrifying!

Thankfully, it’s Ole Miss basketball season, and Kermit Davis’ Rebels are red hot*. The Rebs tip off in Oxford against Mississippi State on Saturday and look to get bounce-back win after a tough OT loss on the road in Gainesville. But even a few “he’s on fire” moments from Terrence Davis, Breein Tyree and Devontae Shuler may not be enough to keep you warm during these brutally cold times.

*Okay so they were a week ago, but they’re still a good team, y’all.

We’ve got just the drink for you. It’s a Lipton-sponsored (please!), tea-based cocktail, whose name both celebrates and ribs Kermit Davis for, among other things, being named Kermit. We love Kermit, both the tea lizard and the basketball coach. We also love hot tea and bourbon, which is preeeeetty close to what makes up a traditional Hot Toddy.

“And Ole Miss fans say ‘Hotty Toddy,’ which is close to that!” you point out. And you’re correct! But let’s tip our hat even more so towards our tea lizard coach with his unique spin on our beloved chant:

So, we’re makin’ a Hot Toddy, but we’re swapping out the scotch for bourbon, making sure to get that good Lipton brand placement, and encouraging its liberal** consumption as you try to stay warm while watching the Rebs during these brutal winter nights.

**pls @ me Facebook

And what do we call this drink?

The “Who in the Hell Are We to Say?”, a Kermit Davis-inspired Hot(ty) Toddy

Serves: 12 (technically) or 1 (in reality, and it’s you)

Ingredients:
1⁄2 gallon water
1 pint bourbon
1⁄4 cup sugar
8 bags of Lipton black tea
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 lemon, sliced thinly
1 nutmeg seed, for grating

Directions:

  1. Bring the water to a light boil in a small pot
  2. Add the sugar, cloves, and cinnamon before killing the heat
  3. Add the bags of tea, and let steep for a few minutes
  4. Add the bourbon and lemon and stir to incorporate
  5. Serve hot by ladling the drink into a coffee mug, garnishing with a slice of lemon and a bit of fresh-grated nutmeg. If preparing for a party or a group, and you need to keep it warm for a while, put it in a crock pot.
  6. Sip dat mf tea