I guess it’s that time of year. Something’s going around. Isn’t something always going around? When is cold and flu season exactly? Is there a season that’s not cold and flu season? My theory is we all just keep passing the germs around. And now it’s my turn.
Last night as I lolled around on the couch in misery (I may be a teensy bit melodramatic when I’m sick), there was a singular thought in my mind as if the very fibre of my being was calling out for what it needed to fight the battle of the creeping crud. I can’t be bothered to ever get a decent amount of sleep, so I normally go with vitamins, Emer-Gen-C, tea, zinc tablets, apple cider vinegar, and my Neti pot (don’t get me started on how much I adore my Neti pot - I have dreams about that thing. Just kidding. Maybe.).
For some reason, though, my body was asking for something else this time: a hot toddy. I’m pretty sure I’ve had one before, but it has been a while, and the recesses of mind were not about to supply a list of ingredients. Especially not in my pitiful state. About a year ago, I would have gone straight to a recipe website such as AllRecipes, and if that didn’t produce satisfactory results, I would have resorted to Google. But not anymore. Last night, I went directly to Pinterest for my hot toddy-making needs. And Pinterest did not disappoint.
There were several different pins that came up as a result of my search. But I cannot tell a lie - the ones with the most appealing photos always draw me in. I’m also intrigued if the website or blog that it’s pinned from has a cool name. It’s kind of like picking the football team with the prettiest colors in their outfits to win. And much like that method, it works - it’s scientific fact. So I picked this one. Sorry, but I don’t have any photos of my own personal hot toddy - you know, barely being able to function and all.
First of all, I coerced my husband into making it for me (don’t judge - I was languishing in congestion, and the coercion was merely in the form of puppy dog eyes). However, that didn’t make it taste better like it does when someone else makes your sandwich for you. Never fear - being the grown-up that I am, I am capable of drinking something that doesn’t taste good in the interest of getting better. Mostly, my dislike of the taste comes from my aversion to cloves, which can be credited to my fellow Kindergartner throwing up while we were sticking cloves in oranges to make Christmas ornaments. Sorry if I have ruined cloves for you forever.
The final analysis is this: It may be equally effective to do a couple shots of whiskey before retiring for the night. And also, I highly recommend ignoring the suggestion to use green tea, WHICH HAS CAFFEINE. Because the lovely suggestion of taking a bath with essential oils and going to sleep afterward will mostly likely be thwarted by said caffeine.
