Welcome to the bubbling world of fermentation. As a winemaker, you can imagine that fermentation is my jam. Just as I revel in developing sparkling wines from the wine grapes of vineyards, the pursuit of funk and flavor from my garden spills into my kitchen and is the delightful intersection of art and science. Fermentation feeds my soul and my family. Each jar (like each bottle) tells a tale of patience, transformation, and the joy of savoring life's delicious complexities.

My goal for this blog is to share more about my passion for homemade kitchen fermentation projects so that you can also revel in the wonders that yeast and bacteria bring to our world. We are starting with my favorite winter recipe for fire cider.

What is Fire Cider?

Fire cider is a traditional folk remedy that I have made for years and shared with friends and family during the winter months. It is made by infusing unpasteurized apple cider vinegar with herbs and plants to create a tonic. It can be used to flavor salads, roasted vegetables, marinades, and sauces. It can also be taken daily to warm the body or sipped occasionally to reawaken and boost the immune system. We have chosen to share my fire cider recipe as the first of many postings because this recipe is easy to recreate, useful for the whole family, and includes a variety of ingredients you can acquire from your own garden, local farmers’ market, or grocery store.

INGREDIENTS

1 onion chopped
1/2 head of garlic chopped
1 Tbs. horse radish
4 lemons juiced - zest of 1
3 oranges juiced - zest of 1
1 lemongrass shoot
1 bunch of cilantro
Sprig of Thyme and Rosemary (fresh or dried)
Ginger roughly chopped - as much as you can handle (more ginger will have more spice)
Turmeric roughly chopped - as much as you want
32 oz. of Apple Cider Vinegar classified as “Raw Unfiltered with The MOTHER”

Jacqueline Person, winemaker at CARBONISTE, grating lemon zest, a key ingredient in making Fire Cider

Putting the Fire Cider Together

Making fire cider is an important winter tradition for my family and myself. It is a medicinal tonic that requires some intuition while choosing ingredients. While I’m making fire cider I always try to think of the person I am making the tonic for. Will my friends enjoy this much ginger? Will the citrus zest be enough? Each time you make fire cider it will come out slightly varied but always channeling these intuitions from your family and friends.

Choose a large jar/container or multiple containers for your cider. You will want enough room for all of your ingredients to be submerged in Apple Cider Vinegar.
Chop your veggies. Zest and slice your fruit. Peel and chop your roots. Sprinkle your herbs and add each ingredient one by one into your container.
The last ingredient to add is your Apple Cider Vinegar. You will want enough vinegar to submerge all of your vegetables, fruits, roots, and herbs. The Apple Cider Vinegar must be “Raw unfiltered with the MOTHER.” Sugars from the fruit and roots draw out into the vinegar and are eaten by the MOTHER. The MOTHER is a SCOBY, a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast and the key to starting fermentation. Without the MOTHER and the sugars from the fruits, you won’t necessarily have fermentation.
Close your container and place it in a dark place to ferment for about a month. This is where the magic happens. Agitate the container daily.
After a month of fermenting in a dark place, you’re tonic should be ready. Strain out the veggie mix, leaving you with a warm-hued, fermented cider.
Mix your cider with 1/2 cup of honey, or more, to taste.

Serving your Cider

I like to serve my cider with a little bit of sparkling water over ice. It makes for a fantastic cocktail replacer or daily beverage and will help you and your family build your immune system in the winter months.

Enjoy!

By: Jacqueline Person