What are your go-to comforts when you’ve caught a cold? I go straight for tomato soup; my husband likes mint tea. And my daughter? She gets French lemonade. Hear me out.
Anyone who’s taken a sick kid to the pediatrician has heard the advice: don’t stress about food; just keep them hydrated. The first time Margot got really sick (pneumonia at 18 months), the doctor firmly told me, “Anything to keep her hydrated. Juice, Jell-O, ice cream, literally anything with water content.” I thought he was being dramatic, but I soon realized just how hard-headed a sick toddler can be. We really did try everything, and each tablespoon of liquid was a battle.
I remembered that advice one Saturday, a year later, when Margot had a regular old cold. The three of us were running errands and popped into a local French bakery, where I spotted lemon juice on the menu. Citron chaud, rather — otherwise known as hot lemonade. The menu described it as the traditional French formula: fresh lemon juice, steamed, then cut with a dash of hot water and just dab of honey. In other words, a huge mug of very hot, very sour liquid. I looked at my droopy toddler — lips parched from another week of total disinterest in anything remotely hydrating — and I wondered if it might work.
Reader, she loved it. She practically choked on the first sour sip — then dove right back in. She loved it so much that, after steeling myself, I tried a taste. And instantly, I got the appeal. Citron chaud is bracing and warming — a pleasant jolt to the system. It somehow feels like taking a shot and cozying up with a cup of tea. And sometimes it’s just what the doctor ordered.
Here’s how I make it at home:
Citron Chaud
Serves 1-2
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4-5 lemons, depending on size)
1/4-1/2 cup very hot water
1-2 tsp honey
Add lemon juice to a saucepan, and set over a high heat until it just begins to simmer. Remove from the burner and pour into mugs. You can either pour the whole thing into one large mug (or a small bowl, if you want to be properly french about it), or divide it into two. Add 1/4 cup of hot water, and stir in 1 tsp of honey until it dissolves.
Now, take a deep breath, and give it a taste. If it makes you shout, “Hoo-ah!” like Al Pacino, then you’ve made it correctly. If, after trying, you want to take it down a notch, then go ahead and add the other 1/4 cup of water and second teaspoon of honey. But if you’re up for it, I encourage you to try at least one cup at hoo-ah level. It’s like a good slap on the back, right when you really need one.
Do you have a sick-day drink or food? I’d love to hear about your comforts or slap-on-the-back recipes!
P.S. Three more warm drinks for winter days, and two ways to make chai.
