Fire Cider!

---

​Fire Cider

Delicious and tangy, fire cider is an easy-to-make herbal tonic that is created by infusing spicy plant parts like horseradish and ginger roots, garlic bulbs, and hot peppers into apple cider vinegar.  Fire cider can be great for warming up, supporting digestion and providing nutrients that may help support healthy breathing, immunity and more! 

If you’ve never made fire cider before, then you may want to start with a small batch as it’s not very difficult to whip up a new batch that’s much larger, if you, like me, decide you just can’t get enough of it!

FIRE CIDER

Equipment:

• 4 pint-sized or 2 quart-sized glass mason jars (or any wide-mouth glass container with tightly sealable lid)
• Grater (if you don’t have a grater you can finely slice although grating should expedite the process)
• Sharp knife
• Waxed paper, if using metal mason jar lids
• Fine mesh strainer, clean coffee filter or cheesecloth

 Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup peeled, grated ginger root
• 1/4 cup peeled, grated horseradish root
• 1/4 cup peeled, grated turmeric root (if unavailable, use 1 tsp. dried- although fresh is best!)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced white onion
• 1/4 cup minced or grated garlic
• 1 thinly sliced jalapeno pepper
• 1 thinly sliced organic lemon (rind and all)
• 32 ounce bottle raw organic apple cider vinegar (you will have leftover)
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme (if available)
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed peppercorns

​Instructions:

• Place all ingredients, except apple cider vinegar, into jar(s) and lightly pack down.
• Fill jar(s) with apple cider vinegar until all contents are completely submerged (feeling free to use clean non-metal weight to help keep solids submerged).
• Place a piece of waxed paper between glass jar lip(s) and metal lid(s) (to prevent acids from corroding metal), tighten lid(s) and store at room temperature in dark pantry, cabinet etc. for ~3-4 weeks. 
• Gently swirl jar throughout this time period, if desired.
• After ingredients have infused their goodness into the vinegar for above time period, shake jar(s) and then strain liquid into clean jar(s).
• Due to its acidic pH, fire cider can be stored for ~six months at room temperature or slightly longer in refrigerator (although it's suggested to consume while fresh and just make a new batch, as needed, since it’s such a relatively simple process!)

​Serving suggestions:

• Mix with raw local-to-you honey for a delicious sweet 'n' sour oxymel immune boost that can be taken right off the spoon or in a small shot glass!
• Combine with a little olive oil for a delicious mista-style salad dressing.
• Drizzle over cooked quinoa or other grain. 
• Use to dress a Mediterranean-style rice or veggie bowl.
• Place in large bowl with olive oil cooked pasta, chopped onion, chopped celery, grated carrot, cooked corn kernels, chickpeas, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper and toss for a zippy pasta salad (or omit pasta and add chopped zucchini or other vegetable(s) to reduce carbohydrate count).
• Place in jar with warm, sliced, cooked beets and olive or sesame oil and refrigerate overnight for quick pickled beets.
• Put in jar with cucumber slices or spears and refrigerate for quick pickles.
• Try creatively using in place of vinegar in other recipes, when applicable.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy fire cider? Let me know in the comments below! Enjoy!
​