by Bella LeNestour
In the face of our culture’s tendency to monetize everything including basic skills handed down over generations, the BirdHouse makes available a way of sharing knowhow like this timeless gem, connecting us to the healing power of plants. You’re welcome to share this recipe with friends and families, because Health is only good as long it is shared by all.
The term ‘Fire Cider’ was coined by the herbalist Rosemary Gladstar in the 70’s but it’s a remedy that has been used for centuries. It’s made of products easily available, and you can simply adapt the basic recipe to make it yours, depending on what’s around you. I personally like to add fennel seeds and star anise to mine, to give it a licorice-like green and sweet aroma.
I learned to make it a few years back, during my apprenticeship course with the Gaia School of Healing. I took part in the “Herbalism as Activism” branch of the school, and assisted in teaching Fire Cider making at Moon Water Farms, an urban farm in Compton that offers programs addressing food justice issues in Los Angeles.
It ‘s an easy self-care treasure to pass along, a simple way to tend to the well being of our communities, at virtually no expense…
FIRE CIDER (sometimes called a Master Tonic) is a traditional folk remedy made with apple cider vinegar, infused with powerful anti-microbial, decongestant, and circulatory herbs and spices. I take a dropperful every morning. Fire Cider is said to have many health benefits including the following:
- Invigorates your immune system (a perfect ally in troubled times)
- Boosts your energy.
- Wards off colds and flu
- Facilitates digestion
INSTRUCTIONS:
The idea is to preserve herbs, roots and aromatics in vinegar for 6 weeks. If you have access to fresh herbs, add them to your basic recipe. They’ll bring up the mineral level and give a good flavor. Many herbs are thriving in the BirdHouse garden right now, so for this Fire Cider I added Lemon Balm to settle anxiety in the stomach, soothing Calendula, Nasturtium flowers for their spicy flavor, and Mint, so refreshing.
You want it to taste hot, sour and pungent, although some add honey for sweetness. There are many recipes and combinations. You can’t go wrong!
Cut the herbs into small pieces and fill up the jar to the ridge. The more herbs, the more minerals. Add roots, and aromatics of your choice. This time I included Schisandra (uplifting), Fennel Seeds (digestive) Juniper Berries (antiseptic) and Star anise (aromatic). Pour organic apple cider vinegar over the herbs until the jar is full to the brim, making sure all ingredients are covered.
IMPORTANT: Vinegar corrodes metal, so before closing, make sure to cover the ridge of your jar with wax paper held with a rubber band before screwing on the lid
Once you’ve made the fire cider recipe, this powerful brew needs to steep in a dark cupboard for six weeks to extract all the goodness from the ingredients. Some bury it in the ground, where the magic brew is kindling… and 6 weeks later, it’s ready! Yay!
Filter out the solids and decant the liquid into a clean glass container. Add honey to taste, if desired.
Lists of ingredients for this Fire Cider:
Roots: Raw Grated Horseradish, Ginger, Garlic, Onion
Spices: Meyer Lemon, Turmeric, Fennel Seeds, Schisandra, Juniper Berries, Star Anise
Herbs: Lemon Balm, Mint, Calendula, Nasturtium
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. (For a half gallon jar, I used 1 1/2 quarts of apple cider vinegar.)
Notes:
- Before I get started, I like to burn sacred herbs or resins, as an offering to the garden spirits, and to prepare the jar that will be the vessel for this powerful transformation.
- I always label the jar with the date I prepared it, the name of the herbs/spices, as well as the place where I made it. It’s a way to pay homage to the garden and the plants that offered themselves to this precious experiment.
Dosage: 1 dropperful, or 2 tablespoons in a glass of water in the morning. (Vinegar eats away at tooth enamel, so be sure to rinse your mouth after drinking it.)
