FIRE CIDER

What is it?: Fire Cider is a spicy version of an oxymel. So what is an oxymel exactly? This ancient medicinal drink is a mixture of herbs steeped in vinegar and honey.

Some history:

What's it good for?: Fire cider is generally used for immune support and as a boost when its cold season or you're not feeling well.

What's in it?: The ingredients for fire cider change from region to region and are based on personal preference and availability of ingredients. As a general basis it is good to add ginger, horseradish root, garlic, turmeric, cracked black pepper, and garlic along with apple cider vinegar and raw honey. One of the major ingredients that I used for my recipe was an herbal blend that we created here at the Jasmine Pearl; Golden Fire.

What's Golden Fire?: This super tasty herbal blend includes Ginger*, Turmeric Pieces*, Cinnamon*, Cloves*, Turmeric Powder*, Honeybush*, Ground Peppercorns*, and Cayenne (*organic). When not using this blend in fire cider it makes a delicious hot or iced tea and especially shines as a latte with maple syrup or honey to lightly sweeten.

How do I make my fire cider? aka the recipe:

• ½ cup peeled and chopped horseradish
• ½ cup peeled and chopped ginger
• ½ cup peeled and chopped turmeric
• ½ cup peeled and chopped garlic
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced
• 1 lemon, peeled and sliced
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 3-4 cinnamon sticks
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (oregano, parsley, thyme, rosemary, etc.)
• ¼ cup raw honey
• ½ cup Golden Fire
  
• 3 cups unpasteurized apple cider vinegar

Place all ingredients into a large glass container with an airtight lid. Shake daily for about 6 weeks. Strain out all plant material and store in glass jars. 

I enjoy about 2oz of Fire Cider mixed with about 2oz of water daily during the cold & flu season.