Thyme Lemon Honey Cough Syrup

I had a friend visiting this week that caught a cold and I didn’t have Thyme Cough Syrup on hand. That won’t happen again because I’m making some this morning. There are more complicated cough syrups that you can make that include slippery elm, licorice, valerian, but nothing gets my kitchen witch satisfaction going more than making a powerful remedy from things that I have on hand.

I’m so grateful to have quite a bit of thyme thanks to City Farmer. I was shopping for some soil and offhand complaining to a friend about the production of my potted plants. One of the workers popped into our conversation asking the last time I had fertilized. I had to admit that it had been awhile to which he replied, ‘feed your garden and your garden feeds you.’ Touché my friend, touché. Needless to say I bought some organic pellet fertilizer and fed my plants. They started to get big, bushy, and beautiful within a week.

Thyme is a powerful antifungal that is rich in antioxidants. It helps to rid the body of lung congestion, spasms, and indigestion. Thyme in ayurveda is said to reduce vata and kapha. It also helps keep chi flowing. Let’s put it to work.

Thyme Lemon Honey Cough Syrup

adapted from Rosemary Gladstar

2 – 4 ounces of thyme leaf and flower ( I weigh out 2 ounces of thyme on my kitchen scale, but you can do it by volume. Really you could just grab a large handful. )

1 quart of filtered water

1 thinly sliced organic lemon

1 cup of honey

Add thyme and water into a pan over very low heat. Simmer lightly, with the lid slightly open to allow steam to escape. Reduce liquid by half ( side note: be patient because this takes a long time, but it’s worth the wait ). Strain, add lemon slices and let cool to around 95 degrees. Add honey to liquid and stir until honey is melted. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Will keep for about a month.

If you want to be able to store the syrup for longer you can add ¼ cup of brandy or bourbon.

To Use: Take ½ to 1 teaspoon every couple of hours until the cold or cough wanes. You can also use this syrup in a cocktail or two. 😉 Here’s hoping you’re using it in a cocktail and not for a cold.