reading time: 3 min
Whether I have a cough or a cold, or my digestion is sluggish, I turn to Fire Cider, the pungent folk remedy known for strengthening the immune system and stimulating circulation. The
mixture of vinegar and honey, often infused with healing herbs, has a long
history as a medicinal concoction called oxymel - the word literally meaning "acid and
honey" in Ancient Greek. What sets Fire Cider apart from its acidic ancestor is its eponymous use of hot spices, such as ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, and horseradish. The name and formula have been popularized by renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar in the 1980s, and have spread and shape-shifted around the globe ever since.
The great thing about Fire Cider is that it uses common "cooking" ingredients that are probably inhabiting your kitchen cabinets this very moment. And what's even better - it can easily be adjusted to your liking, such as by adding potent garden herbs and wild herbs as I do for my own Fire Ciders. Get creative and play around!
While every rendition of my Fire Cider is slightly different, depending on the season and my mood, I always use onions, garlic and ginger as my base. Then I take what's available in my garden (usually that's thyme, rosemary, and sage, in the warmer months also oregano, nasturtium and lemon balm) as well as whichever wild herbs are growing abundantly at that time - for example, wild garlic and chickweed in spring, and wood avens and golden dead-nettle in autumn. Lastly, I add some sort of citrus fruit such as orange, lemon or lime.
The great thing about Fire Cider is that it uses common "cooking" ingredients that are probably inhabiting your kitchen cabinets this very moment. And what's even better - it can easily be adjusted to your liking, such as by adding potent garden herbs and wild herbs as I do for my own Fire Ciders. Get creative and play around!
While every rendition of my Fire Cider is slightly different, depending on the season and my mood, I always use onions, garlic and ginger as my base. Then I take what's available in my garden (usually that's thyme, rosemary, and sage, in the warmer months also oregano, nasturtium and lemon balm) as well as whichever wild herbs are growing abundantly at that time - for example, wild garlic and chickweed in spring, and wood avens and golden dead-nettle in autumn. Lastly, I add some sort of citrus fruit such as orange, lemon or lime.
