mexican soup tea

well winter's apparently not over yet, because we're all getting sick over here. after waking up with a sore throat and stuffy head, i decided to make this mexican soup tea (that's what i call it; i'm sure it's not very official) that one of my friends whose husband is mexican introduced us to a while ago.

last year when everyone around me was getting the flu, i ate a few cloves of garlic (and also made this tea), and i was surprised to discover that my co-workers had never heard of such a thing! every single ingredient in this tea has healing properties, and it really works wonders. even though onion and garlic steeped in water sounds a little like soup, it's actually yummy as a tea.

Here's what you need:

1 onion, sliced
1 head of garlic, crushed
1 bunch of fresh mint (15-20 leaves)
1 tsp. dried oregano
lemon, sliced + juice
honey, preferably raw
tequila (optional--i prefer it without)

Put onion, garlic, mint, and oregano in a pot and cover with water (about 4-6 cups). Bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Squeeze/pour an inch of lemon juice into your mug. Add the strained infusion and a shot of tequila if you so desire. Stir in honey to taste, top with a slice of lemon, and enjoy!