Ingredients :

• The cinnamon stick — Take a whole stick, not powder. Powder disperses and makes the tea cloudy in an unappetizing way. The stick infuses slowly and gives a rounder, less aggressive flavor. If you’re out, half a teaspoon of powder works, but filter well afterwards.
• The cloves — Four to five, no more. This stuff is strong. Too many cloves and you’re drinking disinfectant. Buy them whole rather than ground — they keep for months in a closed jar and stay much more powerful.
• The lemon — Fresh. Absolutely not bottled. Bottled juice has a chemical aftertaste that breaks the tea’s balance. Half a lemon squeezed by hand is enough. Add it off the heat — boiling water destroys part of what makes it interesting.
• The honey (optional) — If you want to sweeten it, choose a honey that isn’t too neutral — wildflower or acacia honey works well. Same rule as the lemon: add it after removing from the heat. Heated to a boil, it loses much of its finesse.