Easy to make garlic tea!

There seems to be a lot of sickness going around this winter, so I thought I’d share our family’s easy “go-to” formula for feeling better quick!  As you probably already know, garlic has healing and antibiotic properties.  We grow lots of garlic on our small farm, so it’s only natural that we reach for what’s usually close at hand and plentiful!  Even if you’re not sick, this time of the year is a good time to take preventative measures and drink a hot cup of garlic tea each evening.  And, if you feel something coming on, or are already in the throes of a full-blown cold or flu, now is the time to give this old-time remedy a try! Start with a bulb of organic garlic – buy from a local farmer if possible, or try growing your own sometime (see our farm’s website www.strawhatfarms.com for growing instructions).  Bring a small kettle of water to a boil and then drop in cloves of garlic which have been peeled and lightly smashed with the back of a spoon just before using.  To two cups of water I generally use at least 4 cloves of garlic- more if I feel very sick!  Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and steep for 20 minutes.  Pour the tea into a cup and drink it while it’s quite hot, as it’s much more palatable this way!  You can almost imagine you’re drinking chicken broth, as it is quite savory.  Drink a cup two or three times a day if you are already sick. I have found this form of garlic consumption very easy on the stomach and easy on your friends, family, and coworkers, as the odor does not linger with you very long. Let me know how this works for you, and feel free to share your natural remedies as well…