Sick Days

Dear Lauren,

It's going to happen. I'm not trying to jinx you! But I just feel like it's important for me to tell you to have certain things on hand right about this time of year.

One day a year or two ago, I awoke one morning at 4 a.m. and felt awful. But I'd agreed to work as an extra on The Three Stooges and I had to be there by 6 a.m. Now, look, I'm not saying an extra is the most critical part of a movie. Not at all. But when the shoot covers more than a day (in this case 10 days) and you've agreed to be there, you need to show up. Plus, I mean, who is going to wear the Victor Costa gown and have a complicated bun and look like a rich, elderly lady better than me? Right! No one!

I'm not great at feeling sick and pushing through it. You know this about me. I'm a terrible example for you. Please live your life like Dad and not me in this respect. Because I'm a big whiner.

But not that day.

That day, I went on facebook in one of the cooking groups I'm in and found out the best home remedy for a scratchy throat and a stuffy nose. Here it is.

Robin's Olde Timey Cure

2 tablespoons ginger root, freshly grated only (Peeling is unnecessary but if you don't peel it, give it a good scrub before grating.)
16 ounces boiling water
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed only
1 tablespoon honey 
a pinch of cayenne pepper 

Boil water. Steep the ginger in the water for ten minutes, covered. I use a French Press. You can use a pot on the stove, or a kettle and a tea cup and stick a plate on top of it - it doesn't matter as long as you have a lid. 

Pour your "tea" through a strainer (or press the plunger on the French Press) to separate the pepper and the grated ginger and pour the tea into a mug, add the lemon juice, honey, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. And then sip it. You'll feel it in your throat right away and in a way that tells you it's working. If you're feeling particularly badly or have more than one sick person in the house, make a double or triple batch and keep in in the fridge to warm up and sip it all day.

My hope is that you won't need it. But I needed it that morning and it really helped me.

Love,

P.S. My original post for this recipe is right here on 37 Cooks.
P.P.S. Don't even THINK about omitting the cayenne! It's essential!
P.P.P.S. When I get home from the store with the ginger root, I just grate it right then and there with a microplane and stick it in a ziploc and toss it in the freezer. If you are lazy, just put the whole root in a ziploc and toss it in the freezer.
P3.S. So that Three Stooges shoot? It was in July if I remember correctly. So you might want to keep these ingredients readily available all year. You just never know.