No, not the movie star, the root. I’ve been doing some research about ginger lately, because I think it might help with some health issues I have.

Dr. Weil recommends a ginger tonic made from 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger root in 8 ounces of boiling water, steeped about 10 minutes. I tried this and found the ginger difficult to grate and the resulting tea unpleasant to drink.

So I’ve adapted that method. My usual evening drinks are either Upton’s Chamillo Blend or Republic of Teas Orange Ginger Mint. When I reach for the Orange Ginger Mint, I’ve been adding a peeled chunk of ginger to the cup.

In the morning, I’ve been doing the same thing, only this time with a cup of what I call “miscellaneous” tea. Because I cannot bear to throw away any bit of tea I’ve enjoyed, I mix them all together and use them when the tea taste does not matter — when I make chai, or iced tea for example. Or when I plunk a hunk of ginger in my cup.

That’s what I’m drinking right now — miscellaneous tea (mostly various Assams, with a bit of Darjeeling and some Russian Caravan) with ginger. And it’s not bad. I wouldn’t want this to be my only cup of tea today, but it’s not horrible either.