Radom Food Fridays - Fire Cider

Last year, after a bout of food poisoning, I caught everything. I had some kind of upper respiratory thing or another for nearly 6 months, including a bad case of bronchitis. I knew I had to get busy making myself well. My personal biosphere had gotten seriously out of whack. This is one of the things that really helped. I made this batch a few weeks ago, as Winter came in. By paying attention to my diet and exercise and consuming probiotics and this fire cider, I'm doing pretty darn well. There was a cold that went through my office like wildfire and I only had it in my nose for about 12 hours. I call that a win! Much better than last year!

There are many fire cider recipes around. I think it is best for you to make a concoction that suits your tastes and your needs. Some people add honey, for both its health benefits and flavor, but that just doesn't work for me. I was truly surprised at how much I like this fire cider as a savory ingredient. Mostly, I drink a tablespoon in warm water during my snack break at work. It is a lot like hot and sour soup and goes great with cheese and crackers. It also adds a nice zing to soups, sauces and salad dressings. It really is a kind of hot sauce and can be used in the same way.

Quality really counts here. Use only organic ingredients and use fresh, whenever possible. Your local health food store should have most of what you need. The directions will allow you to make a small or large batch. Purchase according to the size of your jar. The jar pictured above took 1 quart of ACV after being filled with the vegetables.

Fire Cider:
Equal Parts, by weight:
Garlic
Onion
Horseradish
Turmeric
Ginger
Red Hot Peppers (I used Jalapeno)
Whole Lemon

1 large bunch Italian Parsley
Bragg's Organic Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar

Thoroughly wash a large jar with a tight fitting lid. Set aside. Peel the onion, garlic and horseradish. Wash all the other vegetables, but do not peel. Cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch chunks. Slice through the parsley about every 1 inch, including stems. Make a single layer of each item, repeating until you have filled the jar. Pour in the ACV to cover. Close tight and shake. Set in a cool place and shake once per day for about two weeks. The liquid may get cloudy and a sediment may appear. Don't worry - that is the active vinegar.

After about two weeks, strain the liquid into a measuring cup. Store in a thoroughly clean glass jar in the fridge. (I usually sterilize the jar by pouring a hot kettle over it.) This will keep in your refrigerator for quite some time. I've never had it spoil before I use it up. Because of the high acidity, I think it should keep nicely for two or three months.

Here's to your health!