Learn to make fire cider (fire cider), the spicy drink against colds

With all its spicy ingredients, the “fire cider” not only activates blood circulation, but has a powerful antibacterial effect thanks to ginger, garlic and onion.

Apple cider vinegar and honey stimulate digestion and the spice of radish helps cleanse the sinuses. and prevent infections that can be especially painful.

Thanks to the combination of ingredients, the “fire cider” is a complementary natural remedy to treat the symptoms of flu and colds that can be easily prepared at home. Its benefits are explained by the properties of the ingredients used, although there are no specific scientific studies on the “fire cider”.

The origin of the “fire cider”

The creator of the drink is the renowned herbalist, teacher and author Rosemary Gladstar, who made the formula famous in the 1970s, but the same ingredients have been used as cold remedies. Gladstar’s recipe can be modified to suit one’s own tastes.

the basic recipe

To make this drink you will need the ingredients that we are going to list below for a jar or bottle. Ideally, all the ingredients or at least a large majority are organic to avoid synthetic pesticides.

Ingredients (for a 1.5 l jar or bottle):

150g horseradish 75g ginger 1 large onion 10 garlic cloves 2 jalapenos Approximately 1l apple cider vinegar Honey 1 organic lemon or orange (optional) Spices such as turmeric, rosemary, cayenne or black pepper (optional)

You will also need the following utensils:

A sterilized glass jar with a snap-on lid (with a soda-type metal clamp). Do not use a metal lid as acetic acid can attack the material.

Elaboration:

Wash the ingredients and peel the ginger, horseradish, onion and garlic cloves. Grate the horseradish and ginger, and chop the onion and garlic cloves. Finely chop the jalapeños. After cutting these ingredients it is better that you wash your hands, because if you touch your eyes or mouth with your hands from cutting the jalapeños you can get irritated. If you’re not that spicy, you can omit the jalapenos or use a little cayenne pepper instead. Prepare a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and place all the ingredients except the vinegar and honey in it. Once you have all the ingredients in the jar, fill the jar with apple cider vinegar until it is a few inches above the ingredients. . If possible, use an ecological cloudy unpasteurized vinegar with an acidity of approximately 5%. If you see that the ingredients are floating on the surface, place a piece of parchment paper on top and put something heavy on top (for example, a glass). Before closing, vigorously stir all the ingredients to mix them well together.

The “fire cider” has to stand for four weeks at room temperature in a dark, cool and dry place. Shake the jar every few days.

After four weeks, you can pass the cider through the strainer and add enough honey so that it tastes good to you. Then pour the liquid into a bottle. You can reuse the solid ingredients in a soup or vegetable pan.

In the fridge the “fire cider” can be kept for a few weeks.

How to properly take the “fire cider”

Take a shot glass (about two tablespoons) every day during the cold season to help you prevent colds and flu. If you already notice a cold coming on, don’t take this dose all at once, divide it into two or three smaller portions throughout the day.

Since fire cider is acidic, it can be aggressive with tooth enamel. To protect it, you can dilute aids in warm water or apple juice.

You can also use it as salad dressing and other dishes, such as steamed vegetables, cauliflower fried rice. It can also be used to marinate tofu or to add it to a soup, as the last step of the preparation.