I don’t know about you, but when the seasons change it’s not just the leaves that turn red. My nose runs from me (ha) and my cheeks flare in protest, partially due to the new cold and partially due to Nature’s final fury: the explosion of allergens that hit the air right before our plant life hibernates for a while.

Just yesterday I realized I had a serious soreness in the back of my throat, undoubtedly due to this final rush of mown dead leaves, swirling pollen and various other particulates (hey, if I were Nature, I’d be cranky too). As anyone can tell you, once it gets this far, the only prescription is hot tea, stat!

The recipe below is what helped me get through the afternoon, and it comes from Laura, also of Team Wanderlust. She’s very good with kitchen alchemy (SCIENCE!) and brews this simple “throat potion” to help when hers is sore. It’s gentle, soothingly sweet and takes the edge off the soreness very nicely (I’m sure the brandy has nothing to do with that…*ahem*).

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Laura’s Throat Potion

• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp brandy
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Plums and Pears tea, a Perfect Spoon’s worth (~1 tsp)
• 8 oz hot water

Brew a cup of tea in your favorite mug. When it’s all ready, add the honey, brandy and lemon juice. Stir well and enjoy! Feel free to play with the level of ingredients to taste. This ratio works best for me, as it’s sweet with just enough of the tart in the lemon juice to suit me.

You can, of course, substitute the tea with one of your choice. The Lemon Jade Sencha, for example, would work well here, and I suspect our Moroccan Mint might be a surprising winner. I prefer green teas for this because their clear flavors let the added ingredients shine, too!

 – Heather, Team Wanderlust