If you are looking to boost your immunity, ward off seasonal flu, stoke your digestive fires, increase your tolerance of the cold and damp, and/or increase warm blood flow to your hands and footsies, look no further than the powerful, delicious and easy to make herbal tonic known as Fire Cider.

Fire Cider is a popular herbal folk remedy said to have been created at a herbal school in California, during the 1980s. That said, Fire Cider has much deeper ancestral roots since similar herbs have been extracted in the same manner for 1000s of years.

Fire Cider brings together some of the most powerful immune-regulating/ boosting, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, sinus-opening, respiratory cleansing, anti-infection, anti-inflammatory and nourishing culinary herbs out there. When they are chopped, sliced, diced, grated (or even juiced) they are put to infuse and concentrate their gifts in a bed of enzyme-rich, unpasteurised cider (apple) vinegar. The combination of this herbal infusion is intense, vivifying, sweet and savoury, very grounding.

Making Fire Cider Couldn’t be Easier

You will need

• 1 medium organic onion, chopped
• 10 cloves of organic garlic, crushed or chopped
• 2 organic jalapeno peppers, chopped (or similar)
• Zest and juice from 1 organic lemon
• 1/2 cup fresh diced or grated organic ginger root
• 1/2 cup fresh diced or grated horseradish root
• 1/3 cup fresh diced turmeric or 1 Tbsp. organic turmeric powder
• organic unpasterised apple cider vinegar (ideally with mother)

and lastly 1/4 cup of raw honey (or to taste) this is added at the final 5/6 week phase only. You can also use maple syrup instead.

Optional ingredients:

• 1/4 tsp organic cayenne pepper
• the juice and rind of 1 organic/unwaxed orange
• 1/2 tbs. of peppercorn
• fresh or dried rosemary
• fresh or dry thyme
• other herbs you gravitate to

Directions

Finely dice/slice your roots, fruits, and herbs and place them in a 1 litre glass jar. You may prefer to grate your ginger and horseradish so as to release even more phytonutrient components. If you’ve never grated fresh horseradish, be prepared for a powerful sinus-opening experience!

Pour the apple cider vinegar in the jar until all of the ingredients are covered and the vinegar reaches the jar’s top.

Use a piece of natural parchment paper under the lid to keep the vinegar from touching the metal, or a plastic lid if you have one. Shake well.

Store in a dark, cool place for 5-6 weeks and remember to shake daily.

After 5-6 weeks, use cheesecloth/organic cotton bag or fine sieve to strain out the pulp, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar or bottle. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquidy goodness as you can from the pulp while straining.

Next comes the honey. Add and stir until incorporated.

Taste your cider and add more honey until you reach the desired sweetness.

Et Voila! Enjoy a fresh, firey shot of your incredible heart-warming, new health ally once or twice a day (15-30ml). Enjoy either neat or add as an additional kick to your fave fresh juice. For best results, always have at least a few jars of Fire Cider on the go.