Since cold & flue season is upon us, even here in Atlantic, I thought I would share a traditional folk medicine recipe for an immune tonic called Fire Cider.
The story of Fire Cider is interesting, because it’s not just a tale of folk tradition being passed down through generations… It is also a story of collective liberation and the power of the people.
The name “Fire Cider” was coined by renowned herbalist Rosemary Gladstar as she taught the recipe to her students. It’s quite a simple but powerful immune tonic which consists of garlic, chillies, turmeric, horseradish and other herbs. As you can imagine it packs quite the punch!
It has been prepared by people for centuries, at the turning of the seasons, to maintain good health in the colder and harsher months. The recipe itself varies, because it would have been made according to what was available to the individual, and each person or family might have had different variations according to their traditions which would have then been passed down. It is a true embodiment of “peoples medicine” as plant medicine often is.
But there is more to this story…
Around 2015 a company called Shire City Herbals (which is now no longer active, because karma has a way of working its way back to you) trademarked the name “Fire Cider” and started sending out cease and desist letters to small herbal business owners, threatening legal action if they did not remove the name “Fire Cider” from their preparations. Herbalists that had been teaching, making and selling this tonic for decades, long before Shire City Herbals even existed, were suddenly being threatened with the possibility of being sued for using this term.
Although the American legal system granted the trademark, the truth is you can’t trademark tradition. This is the moment when herbalists and folk practitioners around the world rallied against Shire City Herbals, which eventually saw its day in court and lost the lawsuit.
The lesson of Fire Cider is in the name. A traditional remedy concocted from the land, by peasants for peasants is simple but powerful. You cannot capitalize and exploit lineage and tradition for profit. The tale of Fire Cider is a much needed reminder for us today, that there is no greater power than us “the people”.
RECIPE & NOTES:
As mentioned there is no hard and fast recipe for fire cider however here is a base, to which you can add your own ingredients:
ACV preferably organic
Onions (I used 1/2 for my 500gr jar)
Garlic (I used a whole bulb)
Chillies (I used 1, or you could use 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne)
Honey to taste*
Other ingredients you could add are Turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties (I used two small roots, or you could use powdered), Horseradish is a popular one which I unfortunately did not have to hand but would highly recommend you use. Horseradish is a powerful herb for sinus infections, so a very hand one for cols. I also added rosemary as it is antiviral, thyme is also antiviral and very good for coughs as it has an affinity for the lungs, and some rose hips because they’re high in vitamin c.
Once you have combined all the ingredients in a jar you want to let it sit for about 4-6 weeks.
*After this time has passed you strain and then add the honey to taste.
Notes:
Be sure to use a cloth or some parchment paper between your jar and the lid, as ACV can be corrosive on the metal of the lid.
You can reduce or omit the chillies if you would like to make a child friendly version, but it still needs to pack a punch. I would usually mix the fire cider into more honey separately, so it would be more tolerable for a child.
You can take it as a shot, daily, or just as you feel you’re getting a cold, or alternatively you can add it to smoothies or even salad dressings!
Let me know if you decide to make some fire cider, and please share what extra you decide to add to your potion!
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