lime, claire says.

lime, claire says. take a lime and chop it in two. squeeze the juice into a mug and microwave it, with honey. don't dilute it, leave it strong, then sip it like you would a fine liqueur. you can feel it burning the bad things in your throat all the way down, even when you don't have a cold.

i take a steel pot that lost its handles long ago. i pour in about an ounce and a half of ReaLemon juice and then some spoonfuls of local honey. I put it on the stove, turn the flame to the lowest setting, and stand over it stirring while reading "The Edible Woman". Soon the juice (a chartreuse color) and the honey (a drippy, medium brown) merge and soon after tiny licks of steam begin rising from the pot. I turn the flame off, pour the contents of the pot into a metal cup, and go to sit on the couch to drink it. Jazz plays, there is soft lighting, and me and my book on a rainy afternoon.