I love to reuse, repurpose and eliminate waste wherever I can. It actually makes me a little giddy to create something valuable out of a thing most people would discard. So, when I read Rosemary Glasdstar’s suggestion to use the marc from making Fire Cider into chutney, I was all over it. The marc is the plant material left over after you have filtered/pressed all the liquid out. My Fire Cider recipe was made from such wonderful and powerful ingredients (ginger root, horseradish root, turmeric, onion, garlic, jalapeno peppers, and lemons), it did seem a shame to compost it. And thanks to Rosemary, I have something yummy to do with it.
During the process, I learned that it was not necessary to put the Fire Cider through a press which leaves the left over marc rather dry and chutney is not supposed to be dry. I ended up adding some Fire Cider to moisten it up. Therefore, if you intend to use the marc from the Fire Cider to make chutney, simply filter it through a cheesecloth lined stainless steel strainer.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor and mix on pulse; you want it chunky, not a paste. Gently warm the honey so it will mix easily with the Fire Cider marc, add to taste (make sure not to heat honey over 110°F, as it will kill the wonderful enzymes and bacteria that are so rich in healing properties). You want a hot spicy and sweet chutney; play around with the ingredients.
I was so excited to share my new creation that I brought little jars to a dinner party for friends to taste and experiment. I was overjoyed with the results, some people simply enjoyed it right out of the jar, and others added it to hamburgers. I am having fun adding it to many of my favorite dishes. I love the spin it gave my chicken soup. My brother-in-law enjoyed it on his falafel sandwich. I love the spin it gave my Salmon dish, I usually mix mango chutney with mustard but the Fire Cider Chutney was a delicious change. Add the chutney to stir fry, eggs or veggie dishes. You are only limited by your imagination.
Store the chutney in the refrigerator to ensure freshness.
Remember the poem by Robert Fulghum, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten?” It was a list of lessons that everyone should have learned in kindergarten and first on the list was ~ Share Everything! Another biggie is “don’t take things that aren’t yours.” And of course, we can’t forget, “say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.”
This poem has always resonated with me, as I really like to share. Whether it’s an herbal remedy I have that will ease your discomfort or the French fries on your plate, it really doesn’t matter ~ I love sharing. I’ve always felt more comfortable sharing than keeping things and thoughts to myself; it’s just the way I’m wired. Lucky for me, there are others that roam the earth that feel the same way. I think that is why it felt so effortless to ease myself from exploring the natural world on my own to become a welcomed member of the herbalist community over the years. I cannot even tell you the moment it happened it was so natural. I found my tribe. I like to think we use the plants as our mentors who set an excellent example for us. The plants openly offer us all the information and support we need to survive, heal and thrive in this world if we just observe, pay attention and share.
When I first heard Susun Weed use the phrase, “Herbalism is the people’s medicine,” it floored me. It was perfect. Herbalism is accessible to everyone! Anyone, anywhere can use it. They simply need to learn by experimenting, watching, reading and exploring ~ all the information is out there. And for the most part, the herbal community is awesome at sharing. It is common for herbalists to share their remedies, recipes and experiences. Some recipes have names and each individual puts their own spin on it, like pot roast or bouillabaisse. Herbalist share and sometimes adapt their own recipes. We all learn from each other. Nevertheless, as with any community, there are individuals that don’t play well with others and want to take the game ball home with them in the middle of the game.
Currently, there is one company that obviously never learned the virtues of sharing in kindergarten and are trying to take the game ball (which never belonged to them) home with them. Shire City Herbals (SCH) decided to trademark a name, Fire Cider for a recipe that was not theirs but was created by beloved herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, who has been sharing it since the 1970s. Not only did they trademark the common term Fire Cider but have actually issued Cease & Desist letters to small herbal businesses, and have forced several of them to stop using the name Fire Cider even though they have been selling it for years before SCH was even a business. The herbal community has banded together to fight this wrongful trademark and as a result SCH is suing the three community herbalist organizing Free Fire Cider for $100,000, which is a tremendous amount of money for them. On May 12, 2016, the federal court in Massachusetts dismissed five out of the ten claims that SCH had brought against the three defendants but the legal battle continues. This is obviously a short synopsis of the ongoing saga of Fire Cider, for a more in depth history; please head to FreeFireCider.com to hear Rosemary Gladstar’s balanced account of the Fire Cider story. I am confident that SCH will lose their undeserved trademark in the end. But will they remember to say they are sorry to all the herbalists that they have hurt through this process? I hope so.
So what is Fire Cider? Well, it’s a hot and spicy tonic that helps boost the immune system, stimulate digestion, and warms you on cold winter days. Like most folk recipes, it changes with the availability of ingredients and at the maker’s whims. Nevertheless, it is basically apple cider vinegar infused with powerful immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, decongestant, and spicy circulatory movers, along with potent antioxidants and warming spices to support digestion. It is an ideal winter tonic to help prevent cold and flu symptoms and can shorten the duration if you do get a bug.
Fire Cider is very versatile; many people take 1-2 tablespoons daily throughout the cold weather months as a preventative measure, or every three to four hours if symptoms arise. It’s great to use as salad dressing or add to a smoothie or stir-fry and other dishes, options are limited by one’s imagination and palate.
When making Fire Cider, I love using local ingredients. Therefore, harvest dictates when I have the opportunity to make it. This year, a neighbor offered her horseradish which I dug up myself and I also include the garlic from our garden. I loved how it came out. Here’s what I do, but go with your gut and give it your own spin.
I love the colors of the Fire Cider Horizons
Fire Cider (1 gallon)
Put each ingredient into a food processor to shred them first before measuring
1 cup packed peeled organic ginger root
1 cup packed peeled organic horseradish root
1 cup packed peeled organic turmeric
1 cup packed organic onion with its juice
7 organic cloves = ½ cup
3 chopped organic jalapeno peppers
2 organic lemons (peels and all)
Organic raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
1 cup raw honey (to taste)
Filled a clean jar with all the solid ingredients and then cover with organic apple cider vinegar. Do not use a metal lid with any vinegar. It will corrode the metal. Use a plastic lid or cork. If you need to use a metal lid, line it with plastic wrap or wax paper before screwing it on.
Store the jar out of the sun for at least 4-8 weeks, shaking it daily, giving it lots of love and intention.
Filter through a cheesecloth lined stainless steel strainer. Save the marc for making chutney or adding to dishes.
After it is filtered, add 1 cup raw honey (to taste)
Gently warm honey so it will mix easily with Fire Cider, add to taste. You want a hot, spicy and sweet tonic. Make sure not to heat honey over 110° F, as it will kill the wonderful enzymes and bacteria that are so rich in healing properties.
Fire Cider will keep for several months unrefrigerated, if stored in a cool pantry. But it’s better to store in the refrigerator.
Make your own Fire Cider and remember to always share.
Enjoy and share!
All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
