Mom's Magic Elixir

Yesterday, this head cold knocked me on my ass.  I spent most of the day curled up on the couch in a robe and veil of self-pity watching an endless stream of Lifetime movies (my terrible dirty pleasure).  I sipped O.J. and leftover Feel Good Soup, but nothing seemed to get me out of the sick-funk I was in. 

When my mom got home from work, I won't lie, I played the I'm-sick-and-incapable-of-doing-anything-on-my-own card.  She disappeared into the kitchen and concocted what I can only describe as Magic Elixir.  After one piping hot mug of this ginger and lemon miracle, I immediately felt better.  The biting ginger and sour lemon cleared my head and warmed my entire body.  I had two cups last night and then woke up before my mom left for work so she could show me how she made it - and its a lot easier than I thought.

I think I'm on my 5th cup of the day,  and my funk has dissolved as has most of my cold.  It's even making this dark grey day seem bright and fresh.  Magic, I tell you.

Now, I'm not a tea drinker - I never quite understood the appeal of drinking mildly flavored hot water.  However, this isn't tea, it's better.  It tastes bright and fresh, almost like warm lemonade, even though that sounds like that would be gross, I promise you its not.  

This recipe makes three mugs worth of elixir.  It's great because you make up a batch, then just reheat when you want another cup.

Mom's Magic Elixir

3 cups water

1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

½ lemon

3 tbs honey

+ In a medium pot, combine water, grated ginger, and zest ¼ of the lemon.  Put one tbs of honey into the bottom of each mug. 

+ Bring mixture to a slow boil, then juice the lemon into the mixture.

+ Take off heat and pour into mugs (you could strain the liquid, but I like a little bit of pulp in mine).  Stir so that the honey melts into the elixir.  Serve piping hot.