Fire Cider

In the late 70s / early 80s, Rosemary Gladstar sought to create a non alcoholic immune tonic to support the immune system during the damp winters of northern California. She worked with her students at the California School of Herbal Studies to whip something up.

Rosemary and her students decided to keep it simple, with some hot, fiery herbs, including garlic, horseradish, onion, and ginger, infused in apple cider vinegar. While she coined the term ‘fire cider’, I’m sure Rosemary Gladstar acknowledges that similar recipes and preparations have been around in folk herbalism for many generations, perhaps centuries or more with variations among different cultures, but in creating a name, she encouraged the spread of this useful and simple winter time remedy for a more contemporary audience.

Then, in 2012, the capitalist-inclined folks from Shire City Herbals were granted a trademark over the term. Eventually this company started suing herbalists for using the term in their products, including Rosemary Gladstar who coined the term.

While I feel that it’s always best to be supportive in the herbalism community, this company is widely regarded to be a bunch of ‘big jerks’ who are not herbalists themselves but try to commodify the term at the expense of small-scale herbalists and makers who’ve used the term much longer than they have.

Long story short, the herbalists (Kathi Langelier, Nicole Telkes, and Mary Blue with the support of Rosemary Gladstar) won the lawsuit, and fire cider is considered a generic term that can’t be trademarked. The reason I share this is because I feel that this is a big win for the herbalism community. Herbalism has and will continue to be the people’s medicine. While the natural supplements industry has become quite commodified and competitive, I feel that it is important to continue to nourish the roots of community herbalism and work with plants to support our communities and not to objectify our plant allies and to simply turn them into money.

But politics aside, in fire cider we have a workhorse immunity tonic for the winter time, at once antimicrobial, antiviral, supportive of digestion health, decongestant, and wildly energizing.

It also supports the upper respiratory and circulatory systems, helps with allergies, heartburn, and aching joints.

Without further ado,

Fire Cider Recipe (adapted from Rosemary Gladstar):

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 cup grated fresh horseradish
• 1⁄3 cup grated fresh ginger (peeled or not)
• 1 red or yellow onion
• 5-10 cloves of garlic (about a head)
• 1-3 fresh hot peppers (Jalapeño, Red Finger, Serrano)
• 2-4 tbsp raw, local honey (or more to taste)
• 4 cups raw apple cider vinegar (ACV)
• I often also include:
  • Lemon or Orange zest/juice
  • Turmeric
  • Rosemary/Thyme
  • Wild Bee Balm
  • Elderberries
  • And any other warming/aromatic herbs I might have on hand.

Method:

1. Chop/Grate/Generally break down all ingredients into small pieces to fit in the jar so the herbal material sits beneath the surface of the ACV. You can add honey now, or after the cider is done and strained. Fill the jar with ACV, place a piece of wax paper between the lid and opening of the jar to prevent corrosion of the lid, and screw tight.
2. Label the jar, place it on your kitchen counter and shake it at least once a week for 4-6 weeks (aer you shake, make sure all herbs are still beneath the surface of the liquid to prevent mold or oxidation). Aer 4-6 weeks, strain the liquid into a clean labeled quart jar or bottles, compost the remaining herbal material, and enjoy!

You can use fire cider on it’s own, as a spoonful, in a shot glass. Or you can add to homemade salad dressings (just replace vinegar with your fire cider). You can add to soups, or roasted veggies. You can pour a splash or more into some sparkling water for a delicious and tonic beverage.

Store in the fridge and use within 3-6 months.

Bioregional herbs to spruce up your fire cider:

• Cutleaf Toothwort
• Wild Ginger
• Spicebush berries