🔥  Fire Cider 🔥

 

Fire Cider is an old folk remedy for strengthening our immune systems and cooking out colds.

It is veeery pungent!- horseradish, onions, ginger and garlic are the core ingredients.

It’s spicy– depending on your addition of peppers/chiles. I’m super happy with the habanero I tried in this one!

It’s sour– Apple Cider Vinegar is the extracting medium and lemon lends vitamin C.

You can add elements of herbacious earthiness – nettle, rosemary, dang shen or xi yang shen (ginseng), astragalus etc and a little sweetness from oranges, star anise and honey (added after steeping).

Other immunity benefactors like clove and turmeric are tasty anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial additions. Then of course there’s elderberry, schizandra, parsley, burdock…the variations are limitless!!

Basically grate/chop/slice, fill a jar and cover with ACV. Let it sit at least one month. Interact with it regularly: whisper sweet nothings, shake it up, thank it for all the healing it will do and infuse it with LOVE. Then, after it’s had time to do it’s thing, strain it and mix in honey or if you’re bold take it straight…but maybe with some food so the sour/garlic doesn’t lead to stomach discomfort. And speaking of avoiding discomfort…make in a ventilated area! The horseradish will clear your sinuses and the room and the onions will move you to tears. Please be careful also of touching peppers and then eyes, nose etc!

 You can start with this basic recipe:

1/2 cup peeled and crushed garlic

1/2 cup peeled and sliced onion

1/4 cup peeled and grated ginger

1/4 cup peeled and sliced turmeric

1 habanero chile

1/2 orange, sliced.  I leave the rinds on my citrus.

1 lemon, sliced. Meyer if you got em. sweeter 😀

1/2 cup chopped parsley

A spring of rosemary

1-2 tablespoon thyme

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 to 3 cups raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar (or enough to cover your ingredients and fill the jar)

1/4 cup raw honey, or more to taste

I take a tablespoon a few times a day (Ok I just take swig from the bottle…) if I’m fighting a cold or on busy clinic days in flu season when I’m exposed to all the bugs! If I’m just feeling run down at any time of year a daily dose feels is an energizing supportive supplement. It’s a great tonic to have on hand 🙂

Make up a big batch so you have some to share.

Be well!

Leave a comment