Ingredients :

• Fresh ginger — The backbone of this drink. Not the ginger powder from the back of the cupboard — fresh, with its slightly pinkish-beige skin, firm under the fingers. Two to three centimeters are enough for one cup. You can grate it (more power, stronger taste) or slice it thinly (milder, less spicy). Pro tip: keep the rest of the rhizome in the freezer; it can be grated directly while frozen without even thawing it.
• Whole cloves — Five to seven, no more. These little brown-black cylinders found in every grocery store have an incredibly strong smell as soon as they are broken. Whole, they infuse gently without being aggressive. If you really don’t have any, a pinch of cinnamon can work in a pinch — but the result is truly different, less complex.
• Honey — Optional, but honestly recommended. Ginger alone can be a bit sharp. A spoonful of wildflower honey — no need for 18-euro acacia honey — softens the whole thing without overpowering the taste. Add it after straining, when the drink is still hot but no longer boiling.
• Lemon — Half a lemon squeezed at the end really changes the mouthfeel. The acidity cuts through the spicy heat and gives clarity to the whole mix. Fresh zest, meanwhile, brings a floral aroma that no bottled juice can reproduce.