Garlic broth works well during cold and flu season. This is a general cure-all and stomach settler for babies and young children throughout the lands of the Mediterranean, thought this particular version is from Provence.The brew is also good for indigestion and general discomfort when you are pregnant. Garlic, modern chemists say, is antibiotic and antifungal – which might explain why it figures in fairytales as a defense against witches and other undesirables, particularly vampires and things that go bump in the night!

• 6 garlic cloves, skinned and crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups of spring water
• 1 sprig of sage
• ½ teaspoon of salt

Simmer the garlic and oil in the spring water for 20 minutes. Five minutes before the end of the cooking, add the sage: it’ll give the soup a delicate amber tinge and wonderfully medicinal fragrance. Season it with a little salt. For older children and adults, stir in a handful of vermicelli – they’ll only take 2 – 3 minutes to cook and whisk in an egg yolk in after you remove from the heat.