My mom first told me about fire cider. I was over at my parents’ house and was complaining about a sore throat. She handed me a bottle of liquid that smelled awful and instructed me to take a teaspoon. She didn’t tell me what was in it. Just to drink it. So I did (because it’s my mom). The taste wasn’t as bad as I thought. But I like garlic. A lot. A few more doses and my sore throat was gone and I was feeling back to my old self.
What was this liquid concoction? Fire Cider. It’s a popular folk remedy, inspired by the work of Rosemary Gladstar (an awesome herbalist from New England), that’s really easy to make. A few key ingredients, a month of sitting, and you have yourself a beverage that’s going to do wonders with either warding off a cold or helping get rid of it at the first signs of illness. And, with looking at all of the ingredients, it’s no wonder it’s called fire cider!
Fire Cider
- 1/2 cup grated organic ginger
- 1/2 cup fresh organic chopped horseradish root (This will open your sinuses when you chop it – be prepared!)
- 2 medium organic onions, chopped
- 10 organic garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 organic jalapeno, sliced thin
- 1 organic lemon, sliced thin (and seeded)
- 1 organic lime, sliced thin (and seeded)
- 1 organic orange, sliced thin (and seeded)
- 3 tbsp dried organic rosemary
- 1 tbsp organic turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp organic cayenne powder
- organic raw apple cider vinegar
- raw local honey, to taste
- Stuff ingredients into a half-gallon jar, putting the roots on the top to hold the roots down below the vinegar line.
- Pour organic raw apple cider vinegar over everything, working out air bubbles and submerging everything.
- Put a piece of parchment under the lid, if using a metal lid, or use a glass or plastic lid. Store in a dark cool place and shake daily for one month.
- After one month, strain out the liquid using a cheesecloth and store in a clean jar. Squeeze as much of the liquid out of the pulp as possible. Add a bit of honey to taste (I usually add no more than 1/4 cup) and stir until incorporated.
- Store in the refrigerator for all of winter and take 1 tbsp daily to help boost your immune system and 2-3 tbsp if you start to feel a cold coming on!