A Spoonful of Syrup Makes the Tonic Go Down

For the second time this year, I'm home sick from work. After resting for the better part of a day, I pulled my energies together to make myself some medicine.

First I made Shoo Flu Tonic from a recipe on Holistic Squid. Basically, you roughly chop onion, garlic, ginger, chili pepper, rosemary, and toss them in some water with cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, let them cool, and then add two cups of apple cider vinegar. I left out the horseradish cause it was too expensive, but was glad for a big bottle of live apple wine vinegar we recently got from my friend M. in Seattle...and free rosemary growing in the alley.

Let me tell you, it packs quite a tingly punch. The ginger and chili make it hot. I take small sips from this tiny sipping cup, and hold them in my mouth till the tingling burn dies down, and swallow. It tastes like it has the power to heal!

I also made elderberry syrup again, this time using Mountain Rose Herb's recipe. Basically, just boiling dry 1/4 c. elderberries in 1.5  c. water with a cinnamon stick for half an hour, straining it (and squishing all the juice out) and adding a ton of raw honey (1/2 c.).  It's super sweet.

Shoo Flu on the left, elderberry syrup on the right.

Now all I have to do is make myself take it...and rest.