Fire Cider—a Hands-on Workshop

Make your own 6-oz. jar of fire cider to take home now to be ready for cold and flu season! Participants in this workshop will create their own jar of fire cider using a variety of ingredients of their choice. The workshop is free, but as always, visitors and guests to HSABR meetings pay a $5 fee at the door. Fire cider has become a popular modern herbal preparation, but it has roots in the long tradition of combining vinegar with pungent herbs, roots, spices, and other flavorful ingredients. Preparations like fire cider are often enjoyed for their warming, invigorating character and are traditionally associated with supporting digestion, circulation, and the body's natural defenses. The ingredients themselves—such as ginger, garlic, onions, peppers, citrus, herbs, and spices—bring a fascinating range of flavors, aromas, and traditional uses to the preparation. While fire cider is sometimes promoted as a remedy for everything from colds to sluggish digestion, those claims should be understood as traditional or popular uses rather than established medical benefits. Our program takes a closer look at the history and traditions surrounding fire cider, the ingredients that give it its distinctive character, and the art of making your own. We'll explore what people have traditionally believed about this zesty preparation while keeping the focus on herbs, food, tradition, and hands-on learning—not medicine.