I have been drinking te de canela, or cinnamon tea, since I was a kid. My mother always made it for us when we had a sore throat, a fever or just because. This cinnamon tea can be sweetened with honey, sugar, or piloncillo, which is Mexican brown sugar, and we often added a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. As adults the tea is spiked with pure cane alcohol, which is very common amongst Hispanic people.
Place water and cinnamon sticks in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain tea and pour into a cup; add sweetener and lemon juice as desired.
