Recipe: Honey, Lemon, and Ginger Concentrate (For Tea) 레몬 생강 꿀 차

I don't know if you buy into all the hoopla over vitamins and nutritional supplements as a barrier against colds and other ailments. I don't really believe in them but at the very least I believe consuming good, high quality ingredients can't be detrimental to you.

I got a big jar of honey recently from a relative and decided to put it to good use by making a big batch of tea concentrate which I've been enjoying in hot cups the last few weeks.Robust and full of flavors, the added bonus is you'll be giving yourself good vitamins and other healthy properties from the honey, lemon and ginger.

Strangely enough, I've never been a big fan of tea until recently. I've cut down on my coffee intake and have been enjoying black and red teas as well as fruit fusion teas like the one I'm introducing today. Of course, as a guy, I can't say drinking tea is exactly a big draw but in case you other fellas are thinking the same thing about drinking something like lemon and honey tea, go about the old school way and add in a shot of whiskey or bourbon- puts hair on your chest* and fire in your belly to fight off the cold in a more shotgun style.
*Note: This drink does not actually make hair sprout on your chest

And as you know, honey is a natural preservative which never goes bad so this concentrate can be made in large batches and kept a long time. Can't promise it will cure colds and bring miracles but again, it's good stuff nonetheless so hopefully it can raise some spirits at the very least!




Honey, Lemon, and Ginger Concentrate

You'll need:
- 3 Lemons, skin washed and scrubbed
- 1-2 fresh Ginger roots, washed and peeled
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 6-8 cups of unfiltered Honey

1. Wash and scrub your lemons (I used a non-toxic pesticide and wax remover). Wash and peel your ginger roots. 

Slice your lemon into thin rounds and your ginger roots into thin slices. 



Remove and discard lemon ends and seeds if you have the time and patience.


2. In a container with an airtight lid, arrange your lemon and ginger slices in alternate layers. After layering all the lemon and ginger slices in the container, throw in your cinnamon stick on top



3. Take your honey and pour into the container.

Note: Though I said 6-8 cups of honey, it's really a matter of just making sure the honey covers everything. Honey acts as a natural preserve so you just need to make sure everything is covered in the honey.


Close the lid and you're done! The concentrate will start out thick because of the honey but will become thinner as the lemon releases its juices. Keep refrigerated.


To make the tea, simply scoop out 1.5-2 tbsp of the mixture (lemon and ginger slices too) into a mug and pour hot water in and stir. Add in a shot of bourbon or whiskey if you really want to warm yourself inside and out. Taste and adjust with more mixture or water according to your preference.



Perfect in the winter as an accompaniment to snacks like rice cakes, steamed sweet potatoes, etc.

Good ol' honey and vitamins will hopefully help keep you on top of any bugs.



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