Ingredients :

• Whole cloves — Get them whole, not ground. Powder infuses too quickly and gives a bitter taste that takes over. Three to five cloves per cup is enough. Check that they are dark brown and slightly shiny — dull, dry cloves have lost much of their essential oil and therefore their value. The brand doesn’t matter, but a glass jar preserves them better than open plastic bags.
• Fresh ginger (for the winter version) — A small piece about two centimeters is all you need. You can peel it or not — personally, I just peel the cut face and call it a day. Powdered ginger works but offers less freshness. If you don’t have fresh ginger, replace it with half a teaspoon of powder directly in the cold water.
• Cinnamon stick — A whole stick, not powder that floats and never fully filters out. Ceylon cinnamon is finer and less aggressive than Cassia cinnamon, which can dominate all other aromas. If you only have Cassia, reduce it to half a stick.
• Chamomile (for the relaxing version) — A store-bought tea bag works perfectly. If you have loose chamomile, a well-packed tablespoon. The smell of dry chamomile is almost hay-like, slightly dusty — but as soon as it infuses, it releases a floral sweetness that softens the intensity of the cloves.