flipHoney and Lemon Grog for the Vigil
Honey and Lemon Grog for the Vigil
Why this dish? During the winters spent hiding in the Drôme and Dordogne, writing his Resistance poems in the cold, a hot grog with honey softened the evenings and soothed throats hoarse from tobacco and long nights.
A hot drink with honey and lemon, spiked with a dash of spirits, against the cold and fatigue. The sweet-sour comfort of long winter vigils.
The nights of the underground were long and cold, and the pen almost froze between my fingers. So I would prepare this grog: very hot water, a spoonful of honey, a bit of lemon when chance offered it, and a finger of spirits for courage. We drank it in small sips, and the warmth went down to the heart — for the time of a poem, we were no longer cold.
- •Hot water — a bowl (base)
- •Honey — a spoonful (sweetness)
- •Lemon — if one could find it (acidity)
- •Eau-de-vie or rum — a finger (warming)
Honey and Lemon Grog for the Vigil
A hot drink with honey and lemon, spiked with a dash of spirits, against the cold and fatigue. The sweet-sour comfort of long winter vigils.
Why this dish? During the winters spent hiding in the Drôme and Dordogne, writing his Resistance poems in the cold, a hot grog with honey softened the evenings and soothed throats hoarse from tobacco and long nights.
The nights of the underground were long and cold, and the pen almost froze between my fingers. So I would prepare this grog: very hot water, a spoonful of honey, a bit of lemon when chance offered it, and a finger of spirits for courage. We drank it in small sips, and the warmth went down to the heart — for the time of a poem, we were no longer cold.
Ingredients (period version)
- Hot water — a bowl (base)
- Honey — a spoonful (sweetness)
- Lemon — if one could find it (acidity)
- Eau-de-vie or rum — a finger (warming)
Ingredients
- Hot water — 250 ml (base)
- Honey — 1 tbsp (sweetness)
- Lemon juice — 1/2 lemon (acidity)
- Rum or cognac — 2 cl (optional) (warming)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 (optional) (flavor)
Method
- Heat the water without boiling.
- Dissolve the honey in the cup, add the lemon juice.
- Pour in the hot water, then the alcohol if desired (omit for children).
- Stir, let infuse for a minute with the cinnamon, and drink very hot.
How it was made : Grog was a common home remedy against colds and flu. During the Occupation, lemon and sugar being rationed, it was made with honey when available — hence its status as a rare and precious drink, reserved for evenings of real need.
The contemporary twist : Served in a handled glass with a lemon slice and cinnamon stick, like mulled wine at Christmas markets — non-alcoholic version for the whole family.
Louis Aragon · Charactorium
