candles and colds

Another birthday, this time mine,  lemon poppy seed cake (my favourite) and organic lotions 

I can not complain... although it was a rocky and long work day 

and I am down for the count with a cold.

The kind of cold when the pressure in your head makes every movement feel an effort in slow motion, as if  attached to your shoulders is actually a sphere of led. 

So as the evening falls and chilly winds blow(it's all relative)
I will be making this...
Discovered when six years ago (almost to the day) we were visiting Dublin on a particularly frosty weekend, we stopped in this old smoky pub and I was offered this-  a large lemon wedge stuffed with about 8 cloves, some boiling water, a tablespoon of honey and a small shot of Whisky...
 PERFECT  I tell you, for when you have the chills and are ready for bed.

The other thing I like to make when someone in our family is sick with a cold or a sore throat is this,
Greek Egg Lemon Soup

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 cup orzo pasta

the juice of one lemon

one egg

salt and pepper to taste

The directions are as follows, Boil the orzo for 12 min in the stock, meanwhile whisk the egg and add in the lemon juice, when totally blended add small spoonfuls of the stock to the egg mixture till you have added about 1 cup of the hot liquid, then add the egg mixture back into the pot and reduce heat, do not let it boil. It will thicken a bit as it cools. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

serves two