A Cure For The Common Cold
Trust me, I’m a Doctor!
Another misleading title aimed at SEO ratings (I blame my brother) Not so much a cure as a soother for when that annoying, mucus ridden ignoramus sneezes their germs all over you when you least (if ever) want it.
I don’t really succumb to colds, I get the odd sniffle or blocked nose but rarely anything drastic. I put this down to preventative measures. When the cold weather is on the horizon I increase my intake of vitamin C through natural sources with a drink of freshly squeezed orange juice blended with prunes in natural syrup for breakfast and a daily dose of chilli in any form.
A course of Echinacea as soon as the first signs of a cold appear will help to alleviate the suffering, I drink it in tea form and in my younger days I am sure I used to eat ’sweets’ containing it which Mrs Collins kept in a tin with a blue sliding lid. I digress.
The moment I or a member of my staff feels under the weather I make my famous ‘Dr. Collins Tonic’. A solution that seems to soothe yet, rather oddly, uplift at the same time, either way they don’t get a day off!!
Squeeze the life out of a lemon and pour the juice and fleshy bits (sans pips) into a mug. Add a spoon of honey or a spoon of sugar. Throw in a sprig of fresh mint and a couple of cloves, take a thumb sized piece of root ginger and cut it into half, add half and reserve the other half for the curry you’re going to make to sweat the cold out. Take a stick of fresh lemongrass, make a couple of cuts into the thick part then give it a bash or two with the flat of the knife or the palm of your hand then use it to stir everything together whilst you pour over the boiling water. Leave all of the ingredients to work their magic as you drink it down.
Drink hot, thank me later!
All sounds well enough but how much does all that cost ?
I’d sooner suffer than shell out on all that lot
Rod
PS: remember I’m the guy that went without painkillers to save £6.50 on a prescription \m/
October 11, 2007 @ 10:18 am
Miles,
Have the recipe for the common cold patented and make some serious money - not to be sneezed at. I do not intend to get a cold this winter but will improve on my version with the above for extra comfort.
Now for the curry recipe….
October 11, 2007 @ 10:34 am
“The Common Cold”
My Grandfather always swore by a glass or two of Scotch, which was the only thing he ever had in the medicine cabinet.
As a child he told me how he had never been to a doctor or had a day off work in his life, as a child I found this hard to believe.
Many years later and well into his late eighties he was taken very ill, sadly the scotch would not work this time, though he did give it a go. We contacted the local doctor, emergency call-out, yes when you could get them, I gave his name and details to the lady on the end of the phone “Who” she replied, “Sorry we have no records here for anyone of that name”. It was then I realised he was telling me the truth. All those years on a glass of scotch.
October 11, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
Rod,
I really can’t think of a reply to that!!
Miles
October 11, 2007 @ 1:37 pm
Christine,
A hot curry loaded with chilli has many health benefits as well as being good to eat.
Try a vindaloo!
Miles
October 11, 2007 @ 1:39 pm
SC,
A remarkable story. It fits in with an observation of mine the other day about the amount of allergies we cater for now as opposed to ten years ago or more. We also seem to have developed an obsession for taking a tablet for any situation. That said, we are all living longer!
Thanks for a great comment.
Miles
October 11, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
Miles,
Now is the moment for me to try your cold remedy. I shall send my butler out to gather the essential ingredients, then I shall wrap up warmly and go out myself and get the real ones! Don’t suppose you have a recipe for chest balm?
So let me get this straight… you cook to an extremely high standard, you’re a photographer and a ‘Dermuid Gavin’ of the garden, an excellent blogmaster and now a physician… it’s all too much, permission to faint
Cid
October 11, 2007 @ 1:46 pm
Cid,
Don’t suppose you have a recipe for chest balm?
Ye olde recipe: Goosefat!
I wonder if Snipe might do?
October 11, 2007 @ 8:13 pm
Elsie,
It would be just my luck to find a snipe with no fat at all… that wretched bird will be the death of me … all those hours spent in marshy waters waiting Elsie, and nothing to show for it yet! In the meantime I have taken a large glass of Miles’ cold remedy and it might a fluke but I do feel a bit better. The man’s a genius
Cid
October 11, 2007 @ 8:29 pm
Cid & Elsie,
No recipe for chest balm I am afraid, if my remedy fails then I blame the butler!
Keep looking for the snipe, I’ll know if you try and substitute a pigeon!
Dr.Collins
October 11, 2007 @ 9:26 pm
In other words: the daily diet of Thailand. Substitute lime for lemon; toss in a chicken, some coconut milk, garlic and fish sauce; and you’ve got yourself a curry. Add a few Kaffir lime leaves, and you’re getting close to tom yam.
I love that about Southeast Asian food. Jerry and I were just discussing the medicinal properties of ancient Lao food. Most cuisines in this neck of the woods were designed for health as well as sustenance. Herbs in such abundance — better than most pills. I think the West has lost some of that idea: you can eat and drink your medicine every day.
Of course, Rod is right. My last bowl of noodle soup in Vientiane the other day would cost me $30 in the US, simply for the herbs.
October 12, 2007 @ 3:17 am
Karen,
A great point. Too often we overlook the basic facts about food which is (or should be) to nourish the body. One of the biggest reasons for my love of Asian food is that the majority of it is very good for you. You don’t need to be a food scientist to figure out that eating a bowl of chicken broth loaded with fresh herbs, ginger, chilli and garlic is going to be far more beneficial than a ready meal full of salt and e numbers.
As to the cost, I grow my own Thai basil, Vietnamese mint etc to keep the price down, it grows like mad and ends up in everything!
Your last post on the situation in Burma was remarkable, we have ‘talked’ before about how certain situations hold media attention for too short a period and it seems to be happening here again. The photo of the monk should be in the food and travel book you both HAVE to write. Enjoy your travels and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Go to www.ramblingspoon.com and remember Burma.
October 12, 2007 @ 8:05 am
Miles,
I love this blog. I feel transported to Asia (Ihave also checked out Karen’s fascinating site to which I will return), snipe valleys, Halloween, Chef’s lives, gardens, cookery, photography etc.
not to mention a myriad of tips on all manor of things.
Cid, a speedy recovery - we don’t want you catching cold on your broom! Perhaps you should try to spot the snipe from above and then dive for the kill?
October 12, 2007 @ 7:06 pm
Elsie,
Thank you for your kind thoughts and yes you’re right, halloween is no time to be ailing, not when there’s woodsmoke in the air and tarte tatin in the making.
Word has spread to the marshlands hereabouts and there’s been a certain amount of sniggering from the reeds … they think they’ve got away with it just because I’m under par! I waved a threatening lemongrass stick in their general direction, not the best of moves … now they want one of Miles’ health giving beverages. Thought I heard one of our feathered friends chirp ‘don’t skimp on the honey’
Cid
October 12, 2007 @ 9:14 pm
Elsie,
Thankyou for the kind words, I enjoy doing it. Let me know if there are any subjects of particular interest you would like to see covered.
I am glad you are enjoying Karen’s blog, it represents all that is wonderful about the internet and makes up for that which isn’t.
Miles
October 12, 2007 @ 10:51 pm