A Recipe for Spice Rack Fire Cider

Can’t find fresh horseradish? This formula for Spice Rack Fire Cider uses the powdered version, along with ingredients you probably already have at home.

The book Fire Cider! was created in part as an attempt to keep the origin story of fire cider alive and well and also to help ensure that traditional herbal formulas, those recipes and remedies that have a long history of being used, like fire cider, are kept in circulation for all to make and sell as they choose.

All of the recipes — including the one for Spice Rack Fire Cider by Raychel Kolen of Mountain Rose Herbs included here — were submitted by friends in the herbal community who support the idea of Tradition, Not Trademark, and the Free Fire Cider movement. Many of these folks have been making and selling their own versions of fire cider for quite some time. You can buy them at your local farmers’ market, grocery store, or online. Or you can make your own. Be part of the fire cider revolution! — Rosemary Gladstar

For those who’ve ever wanted to make fire cider but can’t always find fresh horseradish, this recipe is for you. Through lots of trial (and only a little bit of error), I discovered that you can make a fire cider that has the same kick as the traditional recipe but with dried horseradish. In fact, it can still be a power-packed remedy without any fresh ingredients at all!

I tried lots of combinations of herbs from the spice rack in my pantry at home, but I made sure each variation included the fire cider must-haves — horseradish, garlic, onions, ginger, spicy peppers, and citrus. This recipe includes a flavor favorite of mine: anise. For those who don’t like its licorice taste, leave it out! But those beautiful seedpods provide a nice mellow note and make this fire cider truly unique.

While there were many tasty and potent combos, this one was the unanimous favorite in the Mountain Rose Herbs test kitchen. — Raychel Kolen, Mountain Rose Herbs, Eugene, Oregon

Spice Rack Fire Cider

Recipe from Raychel Kolen of Mountain Rose Herbs in Eugene, Oregon

Ingredients

• ¼ cup horseradish powder
• ¼ cup ground ginger
• ¼ cup dried minced onion
• 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons astragalus root powder (or a few astragalus root slices)
• 1 teaspoon dried orange peel
• 4 star anise pods
• 4 whole bird’s-eye chiles
• About 4 cups raw apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Place all the herbs and spices in a glass quart jar.
2. Pour in enough apple cider vinegar to cover the ingredients and fill the jar.
3. Seal the jar with a plastic lid, or a piece of parchment paper underneath a metal one.
4. Shake the jar well. Then store in a cool, dark, dry place for about a month, remembering to shake it daily.
5. Strain out the solid ingredients with cheesecloth and pour the vinegar into a sterilized glass storage jar. Squeeze the cheesecloth to get every last drop of tasty herby goodness.
6. Store the cider in a cool, dark, dry place (or fridge).
7. I take a tablespoon of cider each morning to warm up and add some to my salad dressings at night.

Note:

I’m partial to honeyless fire ciders. If you like honey, then by all means add some to taste after straining the cider.

Adapted from Fire Cider! © Rosemary Gladstar. Photos Courtesy Mountain Rose Herbs.

Fire Cider!

by Rosemary Gladstar

For more than 30 years, best-selling author and popular herbalist Rosemary Gladstar has been touting the health benefits of fire cider — a spicy blend of apple cider vinegar, onion, ginger, horseradish, garlic, and other immune-boosting herbs. Her original recipe, inspired by traditional cider vinegar remedies, has given rise to dozens of fire cider formulations created by fans of the tonic who use it to address everyday ills, from colds and flu to leg cramps and hangovers. Fire Cider! is a lively collection of 101 recipes contributed by more than 70 herbal enthusiasts, with energizing versions ranging from Black Currant Fire Cider to Triple Goddess Vinegar, Fire Cider Dark Moonshine, and Bloody Mary Fire Cider. Colorful asides, including tribute songs and amusing anecdotes, capture Gladstar’s passionate desire to pass along the fire cider tradition.

Price

$17.99

Price

$23.99 CAD

Format

Trade Paperback

1. ebook

This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around October 15, 2019. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.

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Rosemary Gladstar

About the Author

Rosemary Gladstar has been practicing, living, learning, teaching, and writing about herbs for over 50 years. Considered a star figure in the modern herbal movement and often referred to as the “godmother of American herbalism”, Gladstar is the author of twelve books, including Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginners Guide, Herbs for Children’s Health, Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, Herbal Healing for Women, and Herbal Healing for Men. She is the cofounder and former director of both The International Herb Symposium and The New England Women’s Herbal Conference, the founding president of United Plant Savers, and the cofounder of and original tea-blend formulator for Traditional Medicinals. She is also the author and teacher of the popular home study course, The Science and Art of Herbalism, which continues to inspire and teach many thousands of students around the world. In 2018, Gladstar was awarded an honorary doctorate for her life’s work from the National University of Naturopathic Medicine. 

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