Apple Cider Vinegar,
Apples,
Autumn,
canning,
Corn-Free,
Dairy-free,
Fermentation,
Fire Cider,
from scratch,
Herbal Remedies,
Mason Jars,
slow food,
Summer
Apples! The first little apples have arrived. I started my own batch of Apple Cider Vinegar and made Fire Cider
12:50 PM
I was busy over the weekend with several little projects. Among them was that I brought home the season's first tiny apples from the (long forgotten) old apple tree at my mon's house... and then my kids brought home the season's first cold. JOY! Inevitably a house full of little kids is going to be full of bugs and this year I'm going to fight back with homemade Fire Cider! Fire Cider is a traditional remedy for colds and flu with congestion and calls for all organic (EXPENSIVE) ingredients, including Apple Cider Vinegar with "the mother" in it.
I had a pile of apples that I wanted to make sauce with, so I peeled them and used the peels and cores to start a batch of my own homemade Apple Cider Vinegar. I'm gonna need it now that I've poured most of the contents of that $8 bottle of my organic storebought stuff into my (amazing) jar of Fire Cider. HAH!
I'll start with the recipe for making your own Apple Cider Vinegar, because it's really, exceptionally easy.
I had a pile of apples that I wanted to make sauce with, so I peeled them and used the peels and cores to start a batch of my own homemade Apple Cider Vinegar. I'm gonna need it now that I've poured most of the contents of that $8 bottle of my organic storebought stuff into my (amazing) jar of Fire Cider. HAH!
DIY Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
6-8 small apples that haven't been sprayed with any chemicals
1 quart fresh water
Peel and core your apples. Save the fruit part to make sauce, or to eat. Put the peels and cores into a 1 quart mason jar. Cover with fresh water. Put cheesecloth or a coffee filter over the top of the jar and secure with elastic, or a rubber band. Let it sit in a cool, dry place for about 6 months. Check it occasionally and stir. Test it to see if it's "vinegar-y" enough for you.
That's it. It's that easy... but it takes some time.
On to the Fire Cider!
This is a traditional remedy for cold and flu. It contains anti-bacterial, anti-septic, and anti-inflammatory ingredients. And it also includes a BUNCH of horseradish to blast open your stuffed up passageways!! It can be taken by itself as a "shot", or it can be mixed into salad dressings or used as a flavoring or condiment for stirfrys, marinading etc.
Farmhouse Fire Cider
2-3 tbsp prepared horseradish (if you can find fresh, EVEN BETTER! use a couple inches of fresh root, chopped)
2-3 inches of fresh ginger, sliced roughly
1 onion sliced
1 head garlic, peeled
1-2 tbsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Local Honey to taste
Apple Cider Vinegar with "The Mother" to fill a Quart jar
Put the horseradish, ginger root, onion, garlic, turmeric, and cayenne into a quart-sized mason jar. Submerge the ingredients in Apple Cider Vinegar. Cap tightly and shake well. Store in a cool, dry place for 4 weeks. Strain the vinegar, and add honey to taste.
This particular cold remedy is supposed to benefit those most who tend to "run cold". As in, if you're cold all the time... have cold hands and feet or poor circulation. I'm sure it'll work great for me and my youngest daughter (if I can get her to try it), but my husband and eldest daughter tend to "run hot"... sweat easily and are prone to fevers. It may not appeal as much to them for them but, it's a matter of personal preference in the long run.
In good health!
