Have you heard of, or tried fire tonic?
This immune-boosting tonic is crafted with medicinal herbs traditionally used to support the body against colds, flu, and sinus congestion. Fire Cider also acts as a powerful metabolic stimulant, thanks to its spicy ingredients. If you have a sensitive stomach, you may want to omit the cayenne and chilies. This unique blend, known as an oxymel, was one of the first herbal remedies I created during my university days.
'Oxymel'
derived from the Greek word oxymeli, which translates to 'acid and honey'
Fire Cider requires a month of steeping before it's ready to use. If you need a remedy you can take immediately, check out my Oxymel of Garlic recipe here!
Ingredients
The quantities are flexible, so feel free to adjust them to suit your taste and needs. The result is a beautifully aromatic remedy with a well-balanced blend of spice, sourness, and sweetness.
10 cloves of garlic, crushed (Allium sativa)
1/2 cup of grated ginger (Zingiber officinale)
1 tbsp of grated fresh turmeric (Curcuma longa)
1/2 cup freshly grated horseradish root (Armoracia rusticana)
2 cups chopped red or white onion
1 big sprig of thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (Capsicum annuum)
1 lemon: the zest and juice - use a mortar and pestle if possible
4 cups of raw organic apple cider vinegar (ACV)
A big dash of organic apple juice
Raw honey to taste
Optional Jalapeno or serrano chilli (chopped semi-fine and remove the seeds)
Method
Prepare your roots and herbs and place them in a large clean glass jar with an airtight lid. (Nb. if your lid is metal, use some parchment paper so the liquid doesn't touch the metal).
Add the juice and fill the jar to the top with ACV.
Shake to mix.
Store in a dark, cool place for a full month, remembering to gently shake a little, daily.
After this month, use a cheesecloth (from a health food store or online) to strain out all the juice from the pulp, into a clean jar.
Now it's time to sweeten and preserve with honey. You can do this by gently heating some honey in a pot and mixing in the liquid, or by mixing honey into the concoction with a whisk or vitamix until dissolved.
Dosage
I recommended using this oxymel as daily health tonic of 5ml or 'as needed' when one is unwell at 15ml twice a day. If you have a sensitive stomach, have after food.
Note this recipe makes a delicious culinary dressing as well as an effective medicine.
You can dilute the fire tonic with warm water or grapefruit juice and use:
As a salad dressing.
As a marinade.
As a hangover cure.
Expiry
Note: Oxymels are highly resistant to spoilage due to the natural preservative properties of both honey and vinegar, along with the potent antimicrobial action of the garlic.
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