Fire Cidar

Fire Cider is a herbal folk remedy popularized by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, but has been made for generations as a general health tonic, and is especially helpful to boost immunity during cold and flu season.  It helps to warm the body, aids digestion, lowers blood sugar, boosts metabolism, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and more! 

Because this is a folk preparation, the ingredients can change from year to year depending on when you make it and what’s growing around you. The standard base ingredients are apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, ginger, horseradish, and hot peppers, but there are plenty of other herbs that can be thrown in for added kick.  Some people like to bury their fire cider jar in the ground for a month and then dig it up during a great feast to celebrate the changing of the seasons. I like to take a tablespoon each morning to help warm up or triple that if we feel the sniffles coming on.

Fire cider can be taken straight by the spoonful, added to veggie juice (throw in some olives and pickles for a non-alcoholic, healthy bloody mary!), splashed in fried rice, or drizzled on a salad with good olive oil. You can also save the strained pulp and mix it with shredded veggies like carrots, cabbage, broccoli, and fresh herbs to make delicious and aromatic stir-fries and spring rolls.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium organic onion, chopped
• 10 cloves of organic garlic, crushed or chopped
• 2 organic jalapeno peppers, chopped
• Zest and juice from 1 organic lemon
• 1/2 cup fresh grated organic ginger root (or organic ginger root powder)
• 1/2 cup fresh grated organic horseradish root (or organic horseradish powder)
• 1 Tbsp. organic turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. organic cayenne powder
• 2 Tbsp. of dried rosemary leaves
• organic apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup of raw, local honey, or to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare your roots, fruits, and herbs and place them in a quart-sized glass jar. If you’ve never grated fresh horseradish, be prepared for a powerful sinus-opening experience!
2. Pour the apple cider vinegar in the jar until all of the ingredients are covered and the vinegar reaches the jar’s top.
3. Use a piece of natural parchment paper under the lid to keep the vinegar from touching the metal, or a plastic lid if you have one. Shake well.
4. Store in a dark, cool place for a month and remember to shake daily.
5. After one month, use cheesecloth to strain out the pulp, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquidy goodness as you can from the pulp while straining.
6. Next comes the honey. Add and stir until incorporated.  
7. Taste your fire cider and add more honey if needed until you reach your desired sweetness.
8. Drink 1-2 Tablespoons daily or when needed
   

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 Four Thieves Vinagar 

What is Four Thieves Vinegar?

In the 1825 edition of Pharmacologia (Corrected and Extended in Accordance with the London Pharmacopoeia of 1824, and with the Generally Advanced State of Chemical Science)—that’s a mouthful of a title!—renowned British physician John Ayrton Paris, wrote about “thieves vinegar,” also called “Marseilles vinegar.” He noted that its name and reputation as a prophylactic for contagions anecdotally arose from the confession of four thieves who had spent their time during the Plague of Marseilles (more than 100 years before the publication of Pharmacologia) robbing the dead. Somehow, despite the virulence of that particular bubonic plague, the thieves managed not to become ill, in spite of their regular exposure. “Upon being arrested,” said Dr. Paris, they “stated on condition of their lives being spared, that the use of Aromatic Vinegar had preserved them…”

Dr. Paris noted, however, that the origins of the Thieves Vinegar were actually older than the Plague of Marseilles. In fact, English Archbishop Thomas Wolsey regularly carried a sponge soaked in a vinegar “impregnated with various spices, in order to preserve himself from infection” as early as 1531.

The herbs that the thieves and Wolsey reportedly used to stave off infection* are the basis for our four thieves vinegar (and the similar four thieves essential oil blend), taking a classic remedy and transforming it into a delicious edible for modern times. Like other herb-infused vinegars, this formulation also makes an excellent base for DIY natural cleaning products, too!

Makes about 1 pint.

 Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. dried organic sage leaf
• 1 tsp. dried organic lavender flowers
• 1 tsp. dried organic rosemary leaf
• 1/2 tsp. dried organic thyme leaf
• 1/2 tsp. organic black peppercorns
• 16 oz. raw organic apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Place sage, lavender, rosemary, thyme, and peppercorns in a pint jar. Set aside.
2. Gently, over low heat, warm apple cider vinegar to temperature of warm bath water, about 100 to 104° F. Don’t boil!
3. Pour warm cider vinegar into the jar with the herbs. Fill to the top.
4. Wipe any liquid off the rim and top with a tight-fitting plastic lid. Alternatively, place a piece of parchment paper under a metal canning lid and ring to keep the vinegar from touching the metal. Parchment paper with a rubber band to hold it tightly in place also works.
5. Label and date.
6. Store jar in a cool, dark place to extract for four weeks. Shake the jar every couple of days to assist in the extraction.
7. Strain vinegar through fine mesh strainer, pressing down on the herbs to release as much vinegar as possible.
8. Pour strained vinegar into glass storage jar or bottles. Remember to label and date!
9. Store in cool, dark place until ready to use in vinaigrette.

Pro Tips

• You can adjust the amount of herbs to your taste. The amounts above are good when using the Four Thieves Vinegar for a vinaigrette dressing. If you’re wanting an extra kick in the vinegar, you can increase the amount of each herb to 1 tablespoon.
• If you want to use fresh herbs, chop them up in similar proportions to the recipe above (3 parts sage; 1 part lavender and rosemary; 1/2 part thyme and peppercorns), and fill the jar half full of the herbs. Then fill the rest of the jar with vinegar, infuse for a month, and strain.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Always consult your Dr. before begin the use of any herbs or herbal remedies. ***Avoid if you have had recent surgery.  While I have provided suggestions on how to use fire cidar please keep in mind results may vary per individual and always use caution when trying a new herb. Enjoy my Fire Cidar recommendations, and perhaps explore your own ways to incorporate it into your daily and magickal lives!