Ingredients :

• Cinnamon stick — Prefer a whole stick over powder—it releases its aromas more slowly and won’t cloud the cup. Ceylon cinnamon, thin and papery, is milder than the Cassia often found in supermarkets. If you only have powder, it works, but filter it well at the end.
• Dried bay leaves — This is the most surprising ingredient. In an infusion, bay leaf provides a slightly resinous and peppery note that structures the whole drink—without it, the cinnamon and chamomile are too similar. Two leaves are enough. Don’t use five, or you’ll end up with a broth taste. Dried is better; fresh ones are too intense.
• Dried chamomile flowers — Loose leaf if you can—a rounded tablespoon in a tea ball or directly in the pot. Supermarket tea bags work in a pinch, but loose leaf makes for a much more fragrant infusion. Look for Roman chamomile rather than German; it’s milder and less medicinal in taste.
• Honey — Optional, but recommended if you find chamomile a bit too floral on its own. A spoonful of acacia or wildflower honey. Never put it in boiling water—wait until the temperature drops a bit, otherwise you’ll lose its benefits and aromas in less than thirty seconds.