
The Tree Farm Toddy
Apple cider bourbon toddy with cinnamon, star anise & honey — childhood hospitality
At thirteen he was designing arrivals — lanterns, hot chocolate, and the feeling of being welcomed
Why this cocktail? David's first hospitality was hot cider on a tree farm at age thirteen. This warm bourbon toddy is that origin story.
The Story
On a Maryland Christmas tree farm, a thirteen-year-old David Landgraf lined driveways with lanterns and greeted families with hot chocolate and cider. He didn't know it was event design. He just knew the arrival mattered. This warm apple cider bourbon toddy — honeyed, spiced with cinnamon and star anise — is that childhood hospitality: the warmth that waits at the entrance when someone has thought about your arrival.
Read Full Story →Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- 3 oz warm apple cider
- 0.5 oz honey
- Cinnamon stick
- Star anise
- Apple slice
Preparation
- 1.Warm apple cider gently (do not boil).
- 2.Add bourbon and honey to a warmed mug, stir.
- 3.Pour in warm cider.
- 4.Garnish with cinnamon stick, star anise, and apple slice.
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