Lemon and honey with maybe some alcohol

"The vitamin C for health, the honey to soothe, the alcohol to numb." Victoria Moore

Both David and I have colds. We are not feeling very bright or very energetic, and although we have been taking Codral pills, which help a bit, nevertheless we don't seem to be making any progress. So as soon as I have finished this post I am going to make myself a hot lemon and honey drink. Because it is at least comforting.

Will it cure me? Well I don't think so really although it seems the jury is out. Indeed, for children they seem to have scientifically proved that honey is more effective than cough mixture for coughs. Did I mention we both have coughs to go with the cold? Apparently it really depends on what you believe. And there is no similar evidence for adults.

"most sick-day rituals ... can be relatively effective in shortening the severity of illness and symptoms... as long as you believe they're effective." Dr. Bruce Barrett

Which is interesting because yesterday I didn't eat anything very much because I remembered an old wives saying wrong. I remembered 'feed a fever, starve a cold". Which is wrong. It's actually "feed a cold, starve a fever." And to be honest it didn't work, so maybe I should try the other way round. Well I am eating today.

When I started looking into this I came across the hot toddy. Which I sort of knew of but didn't really know what it was. That's it at the top of the page. A mix of lemon, honey and whiskey. Or as Nigel Slater puts it:

"This steamy mixture of whisky, cloves, cinnamon, lemon juice and honey is the perfect answer to man-flu or the end-of-winter cold – and is far more palatable than those bitter over-the-counter potions." Nigel Slater

Which is rather more elaborate than my simple lemon and honey. And besides I don't like whiskey. I do remember though, many years ago, having a cold in France and my hostess giving me a hot lemon and honey drink laced with brandy. Now that worked. I was only a young teenager at the time, so the brandy was a bit of a shock. Maybe it shocked my system into overdrive, thus eliminating the cold.

And of course there are hundreds of variations to the 'authentic' hot toddy - which is Scottish by the way. Well of course it is if it has whiskey in it. Nigel Slater gives a few variations.

"Some people suggest rum as an alternative. A couple of crushed juniper berries will add an aromatic citrus hit. Try a slice of apple in the drink. It will soak up the flavours, soften in the heat, and can be eaten when you get to the end – a bit like mulled cider. Allspice berries can be included with the cloves. Brown sugar is the answer for those who don't like honey. I have heard of some who add a slice of butter to their toddy. Not sure I could swallow that, but friends swear by it to calm a sore throat."

Still too complicated for me. For me it will just be lemon and honey.

Half a lemon squeezed into a cup with a teaspoon of honey and hot water poured over. Then retire to a quiet place and drink.

But no I then found that other juices are better - well so they say -

"you're actually better off with pineapple or mango juice. They have properties which soften the larynx without leaving residue, so they're preferable to high citrus juices which can produce acids." Kim Ford - vocal coach

Well there are still three mangoes gradually going off in the fridge. Maybe I should just purée one of them. No - too hard. When you're suffering with a cold you don't want to do anything too complicated. Just lemon and honey. And belief.

And food - we are off to celebrate grandson's birthday at a pasta pizza place, so I shall stock up there.