Fire Cider Tonic

[ORChick]

hqueen, even if you don't have room to store all your spices in their whole state (though really, they don't take up that much room) you should at least get the ones that lose their flavor the fastest when ground. I would include here pepper (a decent pepper grinder costs a bit, but should last forever - I have one that was my grandparents'); nutmeg (you can get a little tiny cheesegrater look-alike, specifically for nutmeg; costs a couple of dollars); cardamom, if you use it. Those would be my 3 top ones for getting whole. For already ground spices, try to find a source where they are reasonably fresh (not always easy to tell), and buy them in smaller quantities. Supermarket spices (and herbs) are usually quite expensive, and not always so fresh. I have always had excellent service from Penzeys Spices, though they do cost more than some other places.

 

[dma1974]

I think I'm just going to get the peppers like the recipe said After reading more here, I have to wonder if the ground cayenne has retained any of the properties that make it usefull in the cider in the first place.

I've noticed that I cough heavier for about 30 minutes after I've taken the tonic. I guess it is from the loosening and thinning of the gunk because after that, I don't cough at all and I breathe more freely.

 

[Dawn419]

Got all the ingredients together for making another batch of the tonic.

Going to do just a quart this time around but in the future will make it up in double batches since mom has a box of 1/2 gallon canning jars that she doesn't use.

Hopefully, my cayenne peppers will do well this year (seeds are started), and I'll use them instead of the store bought ground cayene for future batches.

Concerning the heat of the tonic, I think I'm going to stick with a steeping time of 4 or 5 weeks since I could take it straight at that point.

For those of you who have made this, what did you do with the onion, horseradish and ginger after you poured the tonic off of them? I was going to throw mine in the compost pile but poured vinegar back on them in the jar and we've been adding them to different meals. We love pickled veggies and I couldn't see throwing these out.

 

[hqueen13]

Thanks for pointing that out ORChick. Our local organic grocery store sells spices by quantity, and so I might go there. I have no idea how fresh they are, but they're probably better than the bottled stuff in the grocery store.

 

[dma1974]

Dawn, I am interested in knowing what others have done with the leftovers too. I threw mine out, but now I wish I'd have kept them. I couldn't think of anything right off to do with them.

I suppose I could've ground them down or put them in the food processor and made coctail sauce. It's not like it can all be separated back out unless you use cheese cloth to wrap each thing in separately in the first place.

I also don't see why it couldn't be used to start up a second batch. If you, like I did, took it down at 4-5 weeks and the recipe calls for up to 8 weeks, I don't see why it wouldn't work. maybe someone else will chime in here

I can say that other people in the house have been using it and say they like it and can feel a difference; and they would tell me the truth

 

[citylife]

Dawn, I am interested in knowing what others have done with the leftovers too. I threw mine out, but now I wish I'd have kept them. I couldn't think of anything right off to do with them.

I suppose I could've ground them down or put them in the food processor and made coctail sauce. It's not like it can all be separated back out unless you use cheese cloth to wrap each thing in separately in the first place.

I also don't see why it couldn't be used to start up a second batch. If you, like I did, took it down at 4-5 weeks and the recipe calls for up to 8 weeks, I don't see why it wouldn't work. maybe someone else will chime in here

I can say that other people in the house have been using it and say they like it and can feel a difference; and they would tell me the truth

How are they feeling different?
I started a batch 3 or 4 days ago. thanks to Dawn419. I figure she loves my kefir grains she may have something here with this fire cider.
I will most likely make more tonight or tomorrow as I bought more horse raddish then needed. At $5 a lb. I figure I might as well make more. Since I very well may end up liking the stuff.
I look forward to hearing more.

 

[dma1974]

Citylife, they claim to cough less and it clears their sinuses.

I've been taking it regularly too and here's how things go down for me: wake up a little stuffy and feeling a little thick and heavy in the sinuses, I take about a tbsp of the fire cider, drink my coffee, and cough for a little while bc the mucus is loosening and draining, half an hour later I'm completely clear and show/feel no signs of ever being stuffy. I take it about three times a day, same effect each time.

If I could get my 4-y-o to take it I like that too. She won't bc it's just too hot. All the pollen has her stuffed up. I can barely get her to take honey for the allergies. But she'll down Benadryl or any other thing that comes from a 'medicine bottle'. AAAHH!! That's it! I'll put it in a medicine bottle

 

[Denim Deb]

Hope that works for you.

 

[cknmom]

I will be making a batch of this later this week. It is similar to a tonic that I have been taking for years. Mine is: 2t. Cayenne, 1 1/2 t. Sea salt, 1c. Boiling water, 1c. Apple cider vinegar ; grind pepper and salt to form a paste. Add boiling water (or strong chamomile tea); steep and cool. Add vinegar. If too strong,dilute.

I am interested in seeing how much different this tonic is. I have tried for years to get other people in the house to use it but they won't. I will try some of the ideas of mixing it with something, I haven't tried that.

Monica

 

[citylife]

Citylife, they claim to cough less and it clears their sinuses.

I've been taking it regularly too and here's how things go down for me: wake up a little stuffy and feeling a little thick and heavy in the sinuses, I take about a tbsp of the fire cider, drink my coffee, and cough for a little while bc the mucus is loosening and draining, half an hour later I'm completely clear and show/feel no signs of ever being stuffy. I take it about three times a day, same effect each time.

If I could get my 4-y-o to take it I like that too. She won't bc it's just too hot. All the pollen has her stuffed up. I can barely get her to take honey for the allergies. But she'll down Benadryl or any other thing that comes from a 'medicine bottle'. AAAHH!! That's it! I'll put it in a medicine bottle

Interesting......... very good to know. I am looking forward to being able to drink mine. I took a small taste yesterday and so did a friend of mine. And, she liked it a lot as it was! I e-mailed her the recipe.

For your 4yr old, I would try adding some sugar to the tonic and taste it and see if it cuts the heat.