November 2025 - Magazine - Page 86
Mi n i str i es
OUT of TIME
SPICY FIRE CIDER
RECIPE – NATURAL COLD
REMEDY
I first discovered a recipe for fire cider years ago. Hot peppers and random herbs in vinegar
didn9t sound too appealing at the time. Once I learned about it9s immune supporting
benefits though, I decided to be brave and give it a try. Now, it9s still a staple in our home
during cold and flu season!
What is Fire Cider?
Fire cider is a traditional recipe that includes garlic, onion, ginger, cayenne peppers, and
horseradish infused in vinegar. Then you stir in some raw honey before drinking. While the
original recipe calls for horseradish, for the sake of the kids I typically substitute echinacea
root. If you do use fresh horseradish try hand grating it for a great way to clear the sinuses!
This health tonic originated from famed herbalist Rosemary Gladstar and has gone through
many iterations over the years. Herbalists and home cooks will add different immune
supporting herbs and foods depending on what they have on hand. You could try fresh
rosemary, thyme, or basil for their antimicrobial benefits. Use different spicy peppers, add
some sliced lemon, or fresh turmeric.
This is also a great way to use up different odds and ends in the fridge
before they go bad (like fresh ginger root). For the kids, I reduce the
cayenne or leave it out. They don9t mind the taste since the honey helps
balance out the vinegar.
After the plants have fermented in the vinegar the strained liquid is mixed
with raw honey. Not only does it add more antimicrobial benefits, but the
Katie Wells
