Fire Cider: Recipe and Trademark Controversy

Fire Cider has been a hot topic lately due to the trademark controversy surrounding the vinegar- and honey-based medicinal drink. The term "Fire Cider" was coined by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar in the 70s and she has published variations of the recipe in a number of her books, including Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide, which I referenced for the recipe below.

Shire City Herbals, an small East Coast business, started selling Fire Cider in a number of small health food stores across the nation, including my local co-op, The Merc. This would be great news, except Shire City Herbals has now gone on a mission to shut down any other small business that's also selling Fire Cider; they recently contacted a number of small producers on Etsy. This is akin to trademarking the term "Lemonade"  and then bitterly shutting down every child's lemonade stand that you come across. The fact that this recipe is very common among herbalist and is taught nationwide makes this trademark case even more complicated.

 Learn more in this article from Examiner entitled Herbalists Fighting Trademark of Fire Cider.
To watch a YouTube video of Rosemary Gladstar making Fire Cider, click here.

As a homage to Rosemary and a fat finger to greedy corporatism, I've decided to make Fire Cider today and to share the recipe with you guys. Enjoy it, and share at will!

Fire Cider - Herbal Vinegar

1 medium onion - chopped
4 -5 garlic cloves
3 -4 Tbsp ginger root
3 - 4 Tbsp horseradish root
1 jalapeno pepper 
2 C. apple cider vinegar (unpasteurized)
1/2 C. honey

(I left my camera at the office this weekend, so all of these photos were taken with an iPhone.)

Combine chopped onion, garlic, ginger, horseradish and jalapeno in a widemouthed, glass quart jar. Add enough warmed vinegar to cover them (warming the vinegar allows it to more actively draw out the properties of the herbs). Place Fire Cider in a warm spot and let sit for 3 to 4 weeks. Strain out the herbs and add honey to taste.

Take 1 tablespoon of Fire Cider a day or add it to salad dressings and marinades. At the first sign of a cold, take 1 to 2 tablespoons every 3 to 4 hours until your symptoms subside.

Fire Cider is essentially a tincture that uses apple cider vinegar instead of vodka. This makes it great for children and for incorporating into cooking. This healthful cider is spicy and sweet, and is ideal for winter sinus infections.