by Yvette McDonnell, Congregational Life Coordinator and Ministerial Intern
Fire Cider has not been evaluated or approved by medical authorities for treating colds or the flu. If you are unwell, consult a healthcare professional for appropriate care. This recipe is presented as a traditional herbal remedy—please prepare and consume it mindfully, understanding it is not a substitute for medical treatment.
As an herbalist with over 25 years of experience, I want to share a recipe I make each year. Fall is upon us, and what a great time of year to practice self-care by making Fire Cider as a way to boost your immunity and fight those pesky colds, and, if nothing else, use it as a warming tea or salad dressing.
What Is It?
Fire Cider is as unique as each person. Recipes have been passed down through generations. Some with secret ingredients and folklore and always with love. It is an herbal remedy, a hot, spicy vinegar tonic to help fight colds, the flu, and sinus infections and is used as a tonic. It is a great way to warm up the body. Add it to soups and stews or use it to make a great salad dressing.
One of Many Origin Stories
One popular legend tells of a band of thieves who, during a devastating European plague, boldly robbed the sick and the dead. When captured, they bargained for their freedom by offering up their secret: a potent recipe that supposedly kept them immune from illness. In another telling, the thieves were sentenced to bury plague victims and, to protect themselves from disease, concocted a powerful vinegar tonic. The story is often set in the cities of Marseille or Toulouse, with dates that range from the 14th to the 18th century—details that shift depending on the storyteller.
No matter which Fire Cider legend resonates with you, one thing remains certain: across cultures and centuries, people have preserved foods, harnessed the healing power of ingredients, and trusted in home remedies—creative blends of food, herbs, and medicine—to support their health.
Try variations of herbs to add to basic recipe: Thyme, parsley, lemon balm, oregano, habanero powder, bird’s eye chili powder, horseradish root powder, rosehips, cinnamon, whole chili peppers, orange, grapefruit, lime or lemon peels or juice
Fire Cider Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh grated ginger root
- 1/2 cup fresh grated horseradish root
- 1/2 cup or handful of fresh sage
- One medium organic onion, chopped
- Ten cloves of organic garlic or one bulb, crushed or chopped
- Two jalapeno peppers, chopped (can add more if hotter flavor desired)
- Several sprigs of fresh rosemary or two Tbsp. of dried rosemary leaves
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne powder (can add more if desire hotter flavor)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Local honey to taste
Directions
- Sterilize jar
- Place all ingredients in a quart-size jar
- Cover all ingredients with vinegar
- Use wooden spoon to get air bubbles out
- Cover with plastic lid or parchment paper and put two-piece lid and cap on top
- If using two-piece metal canning lid or a metal lid, put parchment paper between the jar and the lid or the vinegar will corrode the lid
- Label with ingredients and date it will be done
- Let sit for four to eight weeks in a dark, cool cabinet
- Strain into clean sterilized quart-size jar and keep stored in refrigerator for up to one year
Materia Medicia (Medical Material Explanations)
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is valued for its ability to warm the stomach, to ease vomiting & nausea, and to fight off colds, chills, and coughs.
It can help with respiratory problems and bronchial stress. It can be used to stimulate saliva, perspiration, the nervous system, and the appetite.
Horseradish(Armoracia rustican): The antibacterial properties of horseradish have been used to fight bacteria. Horseradish strongly stimulates digestion, increasing gastric secretions and appetite. It’s also a good diuretic that promotes perspiration, making it useful in relieving fevers, colds, and flu. Horseradish is also an expectorant, and it is mildly antibiotic and can be of use for respiratory and urinary-tract infections.
Sage(Salvia officinalis) has been used effectively for throat infections, dental abscesses, infected gums, and mouth ulcers. Astringent and antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and bitter.
Onion(Allium cepa): The bulb is antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, fungicidal, antiviral, antibacterial, tonic, vermifuge, and others. Great for treating fungal infections. Nice use for poultice for congestion mixed with cornmeal and garlic.
Garlic (Allium sativum) has antimicrobial, antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral properties and is reportedly effective against many flu viruses and herpes simplex (the virus responsible for cold sores). You may add garlic liberally to soups, salad dressing, and casseroles during the winter to help prevent colds or eat garlic at the first hint of a cold, cough, or flu. Garlic reduces congestion and may help people with bronchitis to expel mucus. Garlic is used to treat many types of infections: Use capsules internally for recurrent vaginal yeast infections, use a garlic infusion topically as a soak for athlete’s foot, or add garlic to an oil to treat middle ear infections. http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/herbal-remedies/garlic-herbal-remedies.htm
Cayenne Pepper(Capsicum annuum) is useful for increasing circulation and to get mucous flowing. This herb is an anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant. It is used as a digestive aid to stimulate gastric juices.
Rosemary(Rosmarinus officinalis) is used as a brain tonic and stimulant, an astringent, and a diaphoretic. Rosemary oil can be used to prevent dandruff.
Apple Cider Vinegar is fermented juice from crushed apples. Like apple juice, it contains some pectin; vitamins B1, B2, and B6; niacin; and pantothenic acid. It also contains small amounts of the minerals sodium, phosphorous, and iron. Apple cider vinegar can also contain significant quantities of citric acid. It is used alone or with honey for weak bones, leg pain, and upset sore throats, problems, to help rid the body of toxins, stimulate thinking, slow the aging process, regulate, reduce, and fight infection. Can assist with a sitz bath for vaginal infections.
Honey has antibacterial qualities and can be used as an expectorant or to soothe burns, skins rashes, and sore throats. It contains antioxidants that can help strengthen the immune system. Local honey consumed in small dosages over a long period can assist with allergies and hay fever.