Note! I got the best comment ever this morning from my Herb Lady friend Amy Schiavone!

Turns out that she has an amazing use for all of those leftover chopped pickled vegetables! She uses them as a relish on grilled hot dogs. This may be the best thing I’ve ever heard…OMG…

I don’t know how cold it is where you live but here in Northeast Ohio, it's very chilly and the snow is flying. After all of the holiday madness I can really begin to feel rundown, almost like I just want to hibernate for a while. That's when I know that it's time to make a batch of immune enhancing and warming fire cider.

Fire cider was made popular many decades ago by Rosemary Gladstar who is one of our most knowledgeable and traditional American herbalists. It is a well-known and well-loved immune support remedy full of warming herbs, roots, vegetables and spices. Everything used in it is dedicated to warming the blood, promoting immunity and better circulation, all while helping to stimulate the digestion and the lymph system.

Every herbalist seems to make theirs just a little bit differently, so in my experience fire cider never tastes the same from one batch to the next. I like mine very spicy , heavy on the garlic and horseradish. I add beets for color and also as a blood tonic.

Warning! Just a little of this goes a long way and if you've got blocked sinuses, this is exactly what the Doctor ordered! Always remember that these herbs and spices are strong and can sometimes cause contraindications with medicines you may be taking so please, always check with your Doctor or Pharmacist first.

I hope that you'll have so much fun making your own batch of fire cider this year. Herbal remedies like these have always been passed down from generation to generation; almost every herbal culture has some form of this wellness remedy. This is my recipe, but there are so many variations! I hope you’ll have fun creating your own!

Unlike most of my tinctures that usually call for alcohol or glycerin, fire cider is vinegar based so it's really a fermented food , not just an herbal medicine. The apple cider vinegar base is so good for your digestion and it helps you to create an alkaline environment in your body, which is necessary to support the immune system’s ability to continue functioning in tip- top shape all winter long.

For each mason jar of Fire Cider you will need:

1/3 cup of chopped onion

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh horseradish root

1 tablespoon of chopped Jalapeno

2 tablespoons of chopped red beet

2 tablespoons of chopped ginger

2 tablespoons of chopped garlic

1 cinnamon stick

1 stem of fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon each of Turmeric and Mustard Seed

1 slice of lemon

1 slice of orange

Layer all of these ingredients into mason jars and cover each one with several tablespoons of a dry red wine (full of antioxidants) and raw apple cider vinegar. Close the jars and shake until the ingredients are well blended and let them settle. this year I used my Cuisinart to chop the vegetables and I noticed that within two hours everything had settled in the jar and I needed to add more apple cider vinegar, an outcome that I really liked. Note that you want everything steeping under the liquid to prevent spoilage. Next let them steep for a week or two in a cool dark place, then when you are ready, strain and decant the fire cider into a glass bowl. Add several tablespoons of raw honey and stir. Then strain the fire cider into small dark glass bottles or a larger bottle if you like and refrigerate. When you're feeling rundown, you can take a teaspoon of it but prepare yourself. The heat produces such a wonderful energy, a warmth that spreads all the way down to your toes!

I also like to use my fire cider to cook with. You can make a wonderful slaw with it or thicken it with even more honey and use it as a glaze for a delicious pork tenderloin or chicken stir-fry. How about mixing it with a bit of walnut oil for a perfect salad dressing. Because of the earthy balancing nature of the ingredients used, I like to mix my fire cider with nut oils, not olive because I think that the blend tastes richer. Last but not least although I know that it sounds a bit blasphemous, fire cider is absolutely delicious mixed into tomato juice, clam juice and vodka for a perfect Bloody Mary! Any way you use it, you'll be very glad that you've taken the time to make a batch the next time that you're feeling just a wee bit chilled and under the weather.

Thymeless Quotes:

“ I am my own healer. I have a radiant voice within that guides me. I can make decisions for myself. I can rely on others as needed, but at my discretion. It is my body, my health, my balance, and my responsibility to make right choices for myself. Right choices include working with competent health-care professionals when necessary, allowing friends and family to help as needed, and, above all, being true to my beliefs, with the wisdom and willingness to change as part of the path of healing.”

Rosemary Gladstar

City Wytch News - Living Beautifully in any Season!

Recipes for Winter Wellbeing - Fire Cider