Make Your Own Fire Cider

How to make Fire Cider

As autumn sets in and the crisp chill of winter approaches, our bodies cry out for nourishing warmth and immune-bolstering support. Fire Cider is the perfect traditional herbal preparation to answer this seasonal call. Infusing apple cider vinegar with a blend of warming, pungent herbs creates a health-promoting tonic that is both rejuvenating and delicious.

The base of Fire Cider is made up of ingredients that help heat us from the inside out. Garlic, ginger, horseradish, onions, and hot peppers are traditional inclusions. Their sharp, spicy flavors get the juices flowing, bringing a glow to the cheeks and a spark to the digestion. These plants are also antimicrobial, working to ward off unwanted viruses and bacteria. The resulting infusion invigorates the lungs and sinuses when congestion strikes. Sipping Fire Cider by the tablespoonful is an excellent way to get these therapeutic benefits.

Basic Fire Cider Recipe

Ingredients:

• • 1 quart apple cider vinegar
  • 1⁄4 cup grated fresh horseradish root
  • 1⁄4 cup grated or minced garlic
  • 1⁄4 cup grated or minced onion
  • 1⁄4 cup grated ginger root
  • 2 jalapeno or other hot peppers, chopped
  • 1⁄4 cup honey (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a 1⁄2 gallon mason jar. Leave 2 inches at the top.
2. Cap tightly and shake well to combine.
3. Store in a cool, dark place and let infuse for 4-6 weeks, shaking daily at first and then weekly.
4. Strain out the herbs through a mesh sieve or cheesecloth.
5. Add honey if desired to taste.
6. Transfer your finished Fire Cider to smaller jars for storage.
7. Take 1-2 tablespoons daily as a tonic or use creatively in recipes. Enjoy!

Get Creative with Your Own Fire Cider Signature Blend

While the basic ingredients provide the foundation, the possibilities can be limitless when crafting your own Fire Cider blend. Play with other fresh, immune-enhancing roots and spices like Turmeric, Elderberries, Rose Hips, Hawthorn berries, Pine needles, Mustard seed, Orange zest, Lemon Zest, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme.

Making Fire Cider is a creative, healing act of self-care and connection with the earth. As you chop the herbs and roots, infuse the vinegar, and bottle up your very own batch, you are honoring seasonal wellness traditions practiced for generations. Though the basic recipe is simple, you put your own energy and intuition into choosing the plants and adjusting the proportions in your distinct version.

When you make medicine yourself, you gain a deeper awareness of the nourishing plants around you. By ingesting your homemade Fire Cider throughout the year, you build an intimate relationship with those plants as they become integrated into your very cells. This connects you to the earth in a powerful way.

This season, why not try making a batch of your own distinctly personal Fire Cider? Follow the basic recipe below, then start to experiment and modify it according to your creative inspiration. Sipping your handcrafted Fire Cider will not just warm you up, but nourish you from the inside out in body, mind, and spirit.