A couple of months ago a friend of mine carved out a few hours from her insane schedule to take me to an herbalism class on Fire Cider. She doesn’t know really anything about OSG, or that I had just enrolled in an online herbalism course to start DIYing my own homemade remedies and embracing the magic of my garden. She’s an avid gardener herself, and works within our community to share the love and magic of a homegrown life, too.
The class was taught by Liz Faermark @talkwildherbs (who you should absolutely check out if you’re into plants and stuff, especially if you’re a Colorado local!) and she took us through the intricate, yet intuitive, creation of Fire Cider - a powerful tonic to stave off illness and ick through the chillier months.
My first batch was… okay. I think more than anything I was just excited to be there with the many other wise and inspired people wanting to learn. So I was a little eager to use EVERYTHING there was to offer.
I’ve taken a different approach to this batch – using the most recommended ingredients that have the most powerful constituents (a new vocab word I gained that refers to any of the chemical compounds naturally found within a plant.)
What I used:
• Citrus: grapefruit, mandarin oranges, blood orange, and lemon ✧ (I'm saving most of the citrus peels for a Yule craft to share later this month as well!)
• Peppers: Fresno and jalapeño
• Roots: horseradish and ginger
• Allium: red onion, shallot, and garlic
• Fresh Herbs: rosemary, oregano, Thai basil, and sage
* The key ingredient: Apple Cider Vinegar
Note: Cut everything as thin/small as possible to allow the most surface area possible
Also: You can use every part of the plant. Skins, stems, seeds, etc are all full of medicinal constituents! Organic is ideal!
You'll need:
• a large glass jar (I used a much bigger jar than I needed to, you only need to make sure it holds all the ingredients)
• parchment paper
• a sharp knife
• later on, cheesecloth or a fine sieve
• after straining, honey or other sweetener
Maybe you noticed there aren't measurements - a safe rule is to go with all equal parts ratio. Or like me and lots of others in the herbal realm, just go with your heart.
The crazy thing is, you can customize this completely and use pretty much anything. Other additions like apples, tumeric root, berries, calendula, pumpkin, or cloves would be lovely and potent. You can literally do a "fridge cleanout" and make Fire Cider.
‣ So after you've combined it all in your jar, cover it with the main and most important ingredient: vinegar - apple cider vinegar works the hardest to extract the medicinal constituents of the other ingredients, but high-quality white or red vinegars work too. Be sure that the liquid covers all of the solid pieces to prevent molding or rot from air exposure.
‣ Before you place the lid on, cover with parchment paper as vinegar can erode the metal top.
‣ Then, shake well daily!
‣ After four weeks, strain carefully into a clean vessel.
At this time, you can add honey or agave or a similar sweetener if you'd like to.
You can compost the leftover solids, since all of their beneficial properties are now extracted into the liquid.
Most people agree that 1-2 tablespoons a day is an excellent immune booster for the colder, fluier months. Start small to see how you tolerate the taste!
I've long known about Fire Cider, it sort of carries its own lore and aura even to those who are not into herbalism and home remedies. I'm very excited to share this age-old and new-to-me recipe. Let's hope in December's newsletter the finished product is worth celebrating!
Fire Cider is safe to take daily for healthy, active adults but of course, you should al
ways consult your healthcare provider before starting any new herbal regimen, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medication.