Boozy Cough Syrup

I'm a little bit sick right now—so annoying. There are some things that I generally do when I get sick that work in my head, and sometimes working in your head is all you need to feel better, right? These things include eating cloves of raw garlic, making sure to chew them (unless I'm too chicken). I suggest this to other sick people, and they look at me like I'm crazy, but it really does make you feel better, if only because chewing raw garlic gives you something of an adrenaline rush. But you can kind of feel it disinfecting your entire throat as it works its way down to your stomach—where it will give you some garlicky burps for a few hours after. I found a new alternative to raw garlic though: microwaving the cloves for 15 seconds. It tastes better, but I think it's less effective. Also: I used to take oil of oregano and don't know why I stopped. Same effect as the garlic, but you have to buy the actual oil and it isn't cheap.

Yesterday I was feeling slightly sorry for my sore throat and cough while simultaneously looking on my computer for a pickled carrot recipe I made a while ago. I didn't find the carrot recipe, but I did find something I had saved from thekitchn.com last year: Grown-Up Cough Syrup. This stopped me feeling sorry for myself for too long because it gave me something to look forward to: a party for being sick!


Boozy Cough Syrup
Adapted from thekitchn

1/4 c. bourbon
juice from 1 lemon (or more)
1/4 c. water
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1-2 tbsp. honey

Mix bourbon, lemon juice, water, and thyme in a mug. Microwave for 45 seconds. Stir in honey, mixing until it's incorporated, and microwave another 30-45 seconds.

I added the thyme because it's good for sore throats. It also made the drink a little more medicinal-tasting than it would have been—but I thought this was good for making me think that I was taking a medicine rather than a cocktail. Please note: the drink, although the recipe may make it seem otherwise, is not for a cocktail. You won't drink it if you're not sick unless you like those weird digestifs like Fernet.

Maybe you want to know if it worked on the cough? Well, it didn't not work. And it helped me sleep rather soundly. But I did have to supplement with some of that mucinex stuff (is this too much information for a blog? possibly.).