Monday, December 22, 2008

sunny, cold, and windy, punctuated by ginger tea

The glorious sunshine is back, but with it came the cold. We're back to ice in troughs, mucking rocks, and horses in blankets.

This morning after feeding breakfast, my throat started feeling gravelly and I felt my immune system quiver. (this sounds impossible, but I can tell when my body is fighting and winning, and when it's starting to flag, I swear)

So I mucked one wheelbarrow full, dumped it, and decided to head in and warm up. My daughter came out and offered to muck a barrow-full, and I asked her to come in and warm up after too, so that presumably we can keep on this side of a bad cold.

Something that always helps is fresh ginger tea. Slice a handful of fresh ginger root if making one mug. Add a mug of water plus some to the pot and bring to a boil. Once it's boiling, turn it down a little, and let it boil for 10 minutes. The longer you boil, the stronger it gets, and don't forget to add extra water if you want to boil for a stronger brew.

Add the juice of 1/2 lemon to your mug (I usually add that plus half a squeeze from the remaining half), honey to taste, and strain the tea in. (or if like me, you don't mind floating slices of ginger, just pour)

It's wonderful for coughs, sore throats, oncoming colds, and assorted other ailments.

10 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

That's a great recipe for tea. I didn't know ginger was good for colds and sore throats etc. Hope you and your daughter have headed your colds off with this remedy.

Janet Roper said...

The tea sounds good; hope it drives away the sniffles and cold.

Let me know if you have any book recommendations for the upcoming Talk2theAnimals Bookstore.

Harmony,
Janet

Rising Rainbow said...

I hope neither of you get sick. That would be a shame...especially for the holiday. I'm not really a tea drinker but this sounds like it might taste good.

billie said...

Arlene, my homeopath shared this with us years back when my son had a terrible stuffy nose. She had me making this tea for all of us, and had him sit in the sun on our back deck for as long as he could during the day. For him, the fresh air and sun worked wonders.

billie said...

Janet, it tastes like hot, spicy ginger ale (the real kind, not the bland stuff with all the fizz). It's quite good.

I just left you some titles for the store and will leave more as I think of them!

billie said...

MiKael, the tea does taste good - although neither of my children like it as much as I do. For them, I make maybe a quarter-mug and they can get that down. I could drink it all day long.

jme said...

the ginger teas sounds great. i've been taking ginger capsules and it never occurred to me to make it in tea form, but i drink almost nothing but tea throughout the day, so this would be perfect! thanks for sharing. hope you all stay happy and healthy :-)

billie said...

I need to add that the honey works best, imo, if it's local.

If you like real ginger ale, the potent stuff, you'll love this. I have never used a ginger tea bag, but I'm sure it has good effects too.

AnnL said...

Do you peal the ginger root first or just brew the tea with the peal and all? I love ginger, but have never tried ginger tea. This sounds good.

billie said...

Ann, no need to peel.