Fire Cider (Adapted from Mountain Rose Herbs)
Sometimes the best medicine is the kind you can make at home. Root Community, meet FIRE CIDER, your new go-to-tonic and flavor booster for cold and flu season. Fire cider is, as the name implies, a pungent, power-packed elixir used to prevent or shorten colds and the flu.
In traditional Chinese medicine, many times colds and flus can be attributed to literal “cold” and “wind” invading the body. Fire cider is full of warm natured, pungent herbs that have strong antiviral and immune-stimulating actions. Many of these herbs are also diaphoretic, meaning they cause a light amount of sweating which can be great for the beginning stages of illness.
Fire Cider can be taken as a “wellness shot” daily, mixed in with other beverages, or used as a dressing, marinade, or flavoring to your favorite dishes.
There are many recipes out there, but below is a popular one. This recipe is amazing in its versatility so feel free to add things to tailor it to your desired taste. Have fun with it and enjoy in good health!
What you’ll need:
+ Quart sized mason jar
+ Waxed paper
+ ½ c of peeled, grated ginger
+ ½ c of peeled, grated horseradish
+ ½ c of peeled, fresh turmeric root (you can use a couple tablespoons of dried turmeric here too if you can’t find fresh) OR an extra ½ c of ginger or horseradish
+ ¼ c of crushed garlic cloves
+ 2 of your favorite hot peppers chopped
+ 1 medium onion, diced
+ Zest and juice from one lemon
+ Zest and juice from one orange
+ Apple cider vinegar
+ Local Honey
+ 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme
+ 1 tsp black peppercorns
Add ginger, horseradish, turmeric, garlic, peppers, citrus juice/zest, rosemary/thyme, and peppercorns to a quart sized mason jar. Top off with apple cider. Some of these herbs will expand, so make sure to use a little extra vinegar. You can use a canning weight to hold down your herbs and spices. Place a piece of waxed paper between the mason jar lid and vinegar to prevent corrosion. Shake and leave in a cool, dark place for 4 weeks, shaking or turning occasionally. When the cider is ready, strain out the solids with a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer. Reserved the collected liquid, add honey to taste, and store in the fridge.
image source: https://www.marthastewart.com/