By Madison Butkus
Hometown Weekly Reporter
With the cold and flu season upon us, many people are constantly looking for at-home remedies to help ward off becoming sick. To help with this, the Sherborn Library hosted a virtual Fire Cider Workshop in which Clinical Herbalist of True Bloom, Nora Toomey, led attendees through the process and benefits of making this cider, especially when it comes to the prevention of becoming ill.
A day before the workshop, all attendees who registered were sent the recipe and ingredient list so that everyone could gather what they needed in order to create the cider together online. Prior to everyone making their cider, Toomey gave a brief presentation depicting what exactly Fire Cider is, the history behind it, the ingredients that go into it, and how exactly it works.
“Fire Cider is a type of herbal medicine and folk remedy,” Toomey explained, “originally coined by Rosemary Gladstar. As a folk remedy there are countless variations but the main ingredients are Horseradish, Garlic, Ginger, Onion, Chili Pepper, Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey.” When it comes to Fire Cider, it is best to experiment with what one likes and everyone can always add some additional ingredients that are packed full with benefits. Common additions to Fire Cider include Thyme, Turmeric, Rosemary, Citrus, Cinnamon and other Immune supporting herbs like Echinacea, Elder, Yarrow and Astragalus.
Toomey further explained how making Fire Cider is considered to be a radical act. “In 2012, Shire City Herbals (a large corporation),” she mentioned, “tried to trademark the term Fire Cider. They sued several herbalists who were making and selling this product, and tried to make it illegal to make and sell this folk remedy that has been made and shared freely for generations. It was finally taken to court and decided that “Fire Cider” can not be trademarked. Yay! It is now back in the hands of the people where it belongs!”
When it comes to the benefits of using Fire Cider, there are certainly a lot of them. For many, this is the all-time perfect remedy for preventing an illness or diminishing it quickly. “Fire Cider works so well,” Toomey reflected, “for the prevention of colds and flu. It’s also great for helping the body fight off illness! So if you start feeling sick, take a shot of Fire Cider! This will keep the cold from settling in. Once this remedy is in rotation, you will find yourself reaching for less over the counter medication and generally feeling strong through the cold and flu season. It’s especially helpful during the fall and winter months to boost the immune system, prevent and relieve symptoms of the cold and flu, and help the body experience optimal circulation and digestion.”
Once Toomey had gone through her presentation, it was time for everyone to start putting their own Fire Cider together! The ingredients they used for this Fire Cider included Yellow Onion, fresh Ginger, fresh Garlic, fresh Horseradish Root, Lemon, Thyme, Cinnamon, Spicy Peppers (or Cayenne Pepper), Black Peppercorns, Rosemary, Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, and Raw Honey. Toomey suggested that the best way to combine these ingredients is in a big jar in which it will sit in for about four weeks before using. When cutting up each ingredient, there really is no exact way to do so, a rough chop is perfectly fine. Toomey further suggests to keep the skins on all the spices since they will get drained out eventually, and they add more flavor to the cider.
Once their Fire Cider is officially ready at the end of four weeks, Toomey suggests using it for salad dressings, drizzling it on steamed vegetables, using it in marinades, adding it to soups and chilis, trying a couple dashes of it in a cocktail like a Bloody Mary, or even just drinking it straight.
