Hot Toddy Sorbet from Jeni's gets its kick from Uncle Nearest Whiskey and cayenne pepper
Those who remember the hand-written labels of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams' early days at North Market might recognize a flavor that made its return this week.
Or maybe not. Influenza Sorbet, as it was known during its 2004 debut, has a new and much more inviting name this time around.
The Columbus-based premium ice-cream maker began selling its oldest newest flavor Monday by the scoop and by the pint at its 90 shops nationwide. Hot Toddy Sorbet is still based on the home remedy Jeni Britton’s grandmother used to make, with ingredients that include orange, lemon, honey and whiskey.
An earlier iteration of the sorbet was made with Maker’s Mark bourbon, but its alcoholic kick now comes from Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. Another punch comes from cayenne pepper: It tastes effervescent in the frozen sorbet, although its heat builds subtly.
Hot Toddy Sorbet and the earlier Influenza Sorbet have made a few reappearances in the past 20 years — along with reminders that it won’t actually cure colds and flus. In 2013, HuffPost wrote that Influenza Sorbet had become “a sort of prescription du jour among foodies.” A year earlier, then-Columbus Health Commissioner Dr. Teresa Long said the frozen treat was no substitute for flu shots, washing hands and staying home when sick.
Britton changed the name in 2013. Jeni's last produced Hot Toddy Sorbet in 2016.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jeni's reintroduces Influenza Sorbet as Hot Toddy Sorbet
