Like a disturbingly large number of people I know, I am getting over a head cold. It is, after all, JUNE, so that makes perfect sense. (It is supposed to start warming up again later this week, fingers crossed, and hey! only 11 days until summer officially begins(?).) I've always been a fan of the classic hot toddy water/brandy/lemon/honey elixir in these times, although unfortunately booze can't actually cure a cold. A far more useful bit of advice is that drinking up to 3 or 4 glasses of red wine a day can prevent colds (a scientific factoid that goes a long way in explaining why it took me nearly two years to get sick in the first place). Nonetheless, when the deal is sealed, you want something warm and alcoholic that gives you an excuse to get off the couch and find better company than season two of Meerkat Manor (which suuuuuuucks!).

My friend and cold sufferer Kim is currently swearing by an unholy mixture of whiskey and green tea. Other recommendations include mamajuana, a concoction of red wine, rum, and honey left to soak into tree bark and herbs (which is also said to be an aphrodisiac—bonus!) from the Dominican Republic, hot lemonade and rum, and a Tibetan-inspired combo of black tea, spices, fresh ginger, lime juice, honey, whiskey and (of all things) butter. Any other suggestions to break us out of the hot toddy rut?