Updated January 1, 2022
When I was at home raising my son, I made fire cider every winter. As the years went by, I got out of the habit. I was working part-time and raising my son. I ramped up to full-time and just wasn’t at home as much as I used to be. I didn’t have time for the homemaking arts that I love. But, this winter season, I caught bronchitis twice. Once during the incredibly busy December of 2019 and once in February 2020! (Yes, I get a flu shot every year. Yes, I go to my PCP and get flu & strep tests, and yes, I take antibiotics if need be, etc.)
In December, my practice was super busy plus my oldest nephew (so great!) was getting married two days after Christmas! Fun! December was a whirlwind. I was chronically tired. I got a cold and then bronchitis and was laid up for a while. I rallied in time for late December pre-wedding parties, house guests and a family wedding!
January was restful, but by then I was making arrangements for a ten day trip to Raleigh, North Carolina for the start of my Somatic Experiencing® Advanced training. The training was wonderful and we put in very long days. The material in the third year brings together much of what was taught in year one and year two. When I got back home after the training, the bronchitis caught up with me again and I missed another week of work! Ugh! Of course I went to the doctor. I was concerned about the coronavirus. He did flu & strep tests that were negative and said my symptoms weren’t corona-like. But he prescribed antibiotics and cough medicine as my cough was intense. I was wondering what was going on, as I don’t usually get sick twice in one season.
I decided to add fire cider to my daily self-care regime again. I figured this couldn’t hurt, as now we were hearing about how the pandemic was coming round the bend to the US, soon.
I did some research. Apparently, while I was busy with my practice, I didn’t see the legal controversy surrounding the term “Fire Cider” that was brewing between 2012 and 2019. Apparently, a private company trademarked the term that Rosemary Gladstar developed over 35 years ago and freely shared with countless herbalists. There was a court fight and the Free Fire Cider herbalists won!
To my delight, I found that, in 2019, Rosemary Gladstar published a Fire Cider recipe book! This wonderful work of art includes an overview of Vermont folk medicine, research studies on apple cider vinegar and an artistic and yummy compilation of leading herbalists’ personal fire cider recipes and the back stories on the recipes! Fantastic recipes and great reading!
Anyway, here is my version of Fire Cider..it is a very basic recipe.
Kathy’s Fire Cider:
One large bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
1/4 cup grated Horseradish
One head of garlic, chopped
One red onion
One dried red hot pepper
1/4 cup of honey
1/8 cup Chopped fresh tumeric
1/ 8 cup Chopped fresh ginger
Fresh lavendar if you can find it in the winter!
First, I wash the mason jar in the dish washer and then I also sterilize it using UV before use. I own the Wabi Baby UV Sterilizer and Dryer and use it every week to sterilize jars for my projects but also for everyday objects, like keys, pens, eyeglasses. I even sterilize my phone in it sometimes, but my husband says not to do so!
Chop all of the ingredients up and mix it with the apple cider vinegar in a large mason jar. Put the mason jar in a dark cupboard to steep for 4 weeks or so. It can be longer!
When your incubation period is over, just drain the particles out using cheesecloth over a bowl or another large mason jar. Squeeze the cheesecloth to get all the yumminess out! Because apple cider vinegar and honey are natural preservatives, you can keep your fire cider in the cupboard wit you other vinegars. I choose to refrigerate, as I am a cautious person, I mean, I even sterilize my mason jars, but that’s just me!
I love my Fire Cider ! I use it on roasted vegetables and in orange juice. I drink a shot glass a day! Since I don’t make all my herbal products myself, I also purchase elixirs and tonics. I really love Herbal Revolution’s products: the herbalist and formulator, Katheryn Langelier, is very creative and her tonics and elixirs are works of art! Like I said, mine is just your basic Fire Cider recipe, for home use!
So here’s my Fire Cider and some other herbal tonics I use