h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Recovering from a bout of the present vile bug (sore throat, sduffly dose, hackig coff) I devised the following knock-out recipe, the "Hot Chum". Yes, you guessed it, coming from the Chaiwallah, it incorporates chai spices and ginger (please refer to my personal space for the revised chai spice mix...now scientifically presented in gram measures...) mulled with dark Jamaica Rum (none of that colourless stuff!)

1 dessertspoon of chai spice mix
1 lump, about 20 grams, of fresh root ginger, grated.
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or honey if you prefer)
A good squeeze of lemon juice (to taste)
Half a tumbler (slim jim/long glass) of water.

Boil the above together in a small saucepan, and strain through a small sieve into the glass with a teaspoon sitting in it to prevent the glass from cracking. (It won't look too good at this stage, but wait a second....)

Top up with as much dark Jamaica Rum as you fancy, remembering that the more rum you add, the cooler the mixture will be, and the quicker you'll drink it, and have to make a second...and a third....

The spice and ginger mix can be returned to the saucepan and boiled a second time, but you'll need to add more sugar and lemon juice. So if making this mix for two or more people, you don't necessarily have to multiply all the ingredients. Just taste and test.

It makes traditional hot whiskey seem rather tame. Viruses just pack up and leave the system.

Cheers,

C \|/

My poor Roy has flu at the moment and has a chest infection with it, but no stuffy nose, etc as it's not a cold. Your recipe sounds wonderful, however alcohol gives him an immediate migraine - even the tiniest of sips. He can't take honey either, for some reason, although sugar is OK.

Thanks Chai, but I am afraid your chai spice mix would kill me - literally.

I have urticaria angieoedema, a condition that means if I ingest one of my key allergens (such as Cardamon or turmeric) I swell up and chokje to death.

And here's me a bloke who just loves curry!

Never mind I'll stick to mulled wine or mead

Blessings,
Matholwch /|\.

Dear old Chai is known for using both belt and braces as well as safety pins through the skin. The spoon heat-conductor should be unnecessary if you are pouring boiling water through a metal sieve which will conduct away the first heat-shock most instantly.

Can't wait to try this. Looks like just the tipple for Christmas. Cheers, chums!

Math,

Next time you get a cold you might want to try my father's old Newfie cold cure (similar to Chai's but without anything dangerous for you):

Boil a kettle, then in a large mug place a dollop of honey and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and then add a generous pouring of dark Jamacain rum (don't know why, but I agree with Chai, it *has* to be dark rum). Then add boiling water.

Drink two or three (or however many you like) of these and then go to bed wearing almost every article of clothing you possess, including socks. You will sweat buckets all night long and when you wake up - - the cold will be gone!

Works every time!


az

Az/Chai,

My dear wife recommends as hot a home-made, suicide curry as you can stand, followed by a double dose of beechams flu remedy. This will either kill or cure you.

You can see the effect it had on me

Blessings,
Matholwch /|\.