This is the time of year when a good chest or head cold can sneak in to ruin a perfectly good blizzard. Even without an ailment, it’s just plain cold. It’s nice to have something hot to hold onto and to sip until your toes feel a little warmer and you feel better. The easiest thing to make is a little hot toddy tea. Equal parts water and lemonade, boiled, with a spiced herbal tea bag and a good dollop of honey usually does the trick. A few slices of candied ginger are good to add, especially for stomach ailments.
For an elixir that can be kept refrigerated for up to a month, make a cold season supporter elixir (from Lunds & Byerlys’ Nourish program). In a 16-ounce glass canning jar, arrange slices of 2 organic lemons and 1/4 cup fresh ginger root (peeled and cut into 1/8” coins). Then add 4 cinnamon sticks, 1/2 cup of raw honey, 10-12 sprigs of fresh thyme, and 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for three days before using. To use, put 2-3 tablespoons in a mug and add hot water. Keep a jar of this throughout the cold season to bring a little warm, steamy comfort on a chilly evening.
Amy Goetz is a FoodE Expert for Lunds & Byerlys Woodbury. She helps customers with recipe ideas, teaches cooking classes and plans events. She writes about food and recipes.
