The Post-Turkey Tonic Will Calm Your Shit (Er, Your Stomach) on Thanksgiving

Planning to eat too much turkey (and stuffing, and cranberry sauce) on Thursday? No shit! We all are. That’s exactly why I made you this Thanksgiving after-dinner drink. It’s full of all kinds of things to aid in digestion (does this sound like a fucking TUMS commercial or what?) and it also happens to taste really good. ‘Cause that’s what I do.

The secret (well one of them) to this stomach-settling tonic is a hot honey syrup, made with honey, water, and cayenne pepper. Honey itself doesn’t blend into cold drinks — it just gets all globby — but a honey syrup is a perfect cocktail ingredient. And it’s even easier to make than simple syrup (instructions below). Another beneficial ingredient is bitters — which has historically been used as a digestif. I often drink it with club soda when I’ve eaten too much (especially if I NEED to eat more), and it really does the trick. And then there’s tonic, which I guess can help cure your malaria? So basically what I’m telling you is this drink is might as well be medicine (am I allowed to say that? doubtful). Anyway, enjoy. And happy Thanksgiving!

Post-Turkey Tonic

HONEY SYRUP

½ cup hot water
½ cup honey
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces rye whiskey
½ ounce Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon (½ oz) hot honey syrup
6 dashes Angostura Bitters
Tonic water
Lemon twist for garnish

DIRECTIONS

To make the hot honey syrup, combine ½ cup honey, ½ cup hot water, and ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Stir until combined, then store in the fridge in an old honey bear, or something similar. Let that shit cool completely before adding it to a cocktail.

To make the cocktail, add the rye, Grand Marnier, hot honey syrup, and bitters to a double rocks glass. Stir well, add a handful of ice, then top it off with tonic water. Garnish with the lemon twist and enjoy.

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