Honey, Lemon & Ginger Tea for the Flu

Ho, ho, ho, 'tis the season. No, not that season. I mean the season for colds and flu. I'm not quite sure which we have; but it seems to have all the symptoms. Fever, touchy tummy, aches and pains, sore throat, earache, deafness and ringing in the ears, stuffy nose, cough and a general sensation of lousiness and inertia. Fun, wow!

I have not been drinking nearly as much as I should, as it hurts to swallow. However, I have made myself a batch of this tea and it is going down okay. This is something that puts the "treat" back into "treatment" - lemon, ginger and honey are a great combination. I've been known to make this as a winter pick-me-up when I'm feeling just fine thank you, but it really does help you feel a bit more human when you are sick.

As you will note from the picture, I couldn't get organic lemons, so I got non-organic limes. The lemons available looked so shiny and wax-coated, I just couldn't face them even though I like lemons better in this. Whatever you get though, do be sure to give them a good scrub.

1 serving
15 minutes prep time

2 or 3 tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
the zest of 1 lemon (or large lime)
1 litre (1 quart) water
4 tablespoons honey
the juice of 1 lemon (or large lime)

Peel the ginger root, and grate it if you are feeling energetic; otherwise chop it fairly finely. Put it in a large pot and grate in the lemon zest. Add the water, and bring up slowly to a simmer. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the honey until it is dissolved, and add the lemon juice.

Strain and serve. Drink this as hot as you can stand. You can keep it warm in a teapot with a cosy if you like. You can re-heat it if it gets cool before you have drunk it all. And yes, you should drink it all - and more. Hope you're feeling better soon.