When I Tire

 If you've noticed my absence it is because I have been sick. Instead of chasing the full moon today I am laid up drinking tea and fire cider. What is fire cider you ask? Here's some info on the recipe I used.

Fire cider is a traditional folk remedy and tonic that combines apple cider vinegar with powerful, spicy ingredients. It's been used in folk medicine for generations, particularly to support immune health during cold and flu season.

A basic fire cider recipe typically includes:

- Raw apple cider vinegar as the base

- Horseradish root for its spicy, decongesting properties

- Onions and garlic for their antimicrobial compounds

- Ginger root for its warming, anti-inflammatory effects  

- Hot peppers (often cayenne) for heat and circulation support

- Optional honey to taste and balance the intense flavors

The ingredients are chopped, combined in a jar with the vinegar, and left to infuse for several weeks before straining. The resulting liquid is taken by the spoonful, often diluted in water or tea.

Fire cider gained wider popularity in recent years through herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, who coined the name in the 1970s while teaching at the California School of Herbal Studies. However, similar vinegar-based tonics have been part of folk medicine traditions for much longer.

While people use it for immune support and cold/flu prevention, it's worth noting that while these ingredients have documented antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, there aren't clinical studies specifically on fire cider's effectiveness but it is quite tasty if you like that kind of thing.