The Quiet Pandemic: Home Life and Fire Cider

Happy New Moon in Aries!
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You'll be seeing so much more of the home life these days as, I'm sure, we're all caught in the grey in-betweens.  For me it's, in an occupational way of sorts. .

I still arrange meet-ups with customers during the tidal pandemic of Covid-19 but have spent much of these times hunkered down at home.  The stillness has allowed me to rediscover the things I didn't even know I lost. I find refuge in the kitchen, peace in the garden, reassurance from all things so much bigger than I, and I have hope that things will be okay...

I have found alone time and space under the stars, and find joy in the night's sky where my focus becomes deep contemplating life- mine, ours, reasons for what and why this is happening in the world, and if I'm getting the message.

I never have that complete sense of release.  People still need plants, and my mission in life is to assist. Now, much more than ever...

Life as it is, at this moment, continues to adjust me. Are you feeling adjustment? Are you finding deeper meanings, a newer part of you that you hadn't yet discovered? Are you exploring, or does it come to your surprise? .

There are many that know that the wisdom of plants far out reaches human capacity to understand beyond the level of science.

The lemon was given to me from my friend Yvonne, and it is perfect. It's bright and cheerful, invigorating and energetic, and most importantly antiviral, antibacterial, and antiseptic! I've also spent these last few weeks really connecting with Ginger's zingiberous roots! It sparks my internal engine and ignites my fire! Sebolla, onion, it is the flavor of savour, culture, and protection.

Merhelen's Sonoran Cidar 

1 Quart Jar with a plastic lid
1/2 a small Onion
1 Jalapeno
1 inch of Horseradish Root
2 teaspoons of Golden Moon Mylk Mix
1/2 Mango
1 juicy Lime
5 Cloves of Garlic
A sprig of Rosemary
Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother
Honey

This is just the basics I start off with, and I adore the liberty of folk medicine.  Sometimes we add Echinacea Root, Elderberry and Nettles.  The sky's the limit!

No need for a sharp eyeball; there are no hard and fast rules!  I typically start with a rough chop of the onion and garlic.  The more you chop the stronger the medicine.  My trick for chopping the Horseradish is to add it to the blender, cover it with apple cider vinegar and blend until pulverized then add it to the jar.  Add a few slices of citrus on the sides of the jar for a beautiful effect. I use limes for Sonoran cider but have added blood oranges, regular oranges and lemons in the past as well.  Slice jalapeno and add as much as you'd like.  This is where I find most of the kick comes from!  If your sensitive to the heat remove the seeds before dropping them in.  Now the time has come to add your fruit! I add mango and sometimes pineapple to add flavor to this hot spicy mix.  Dice up your mango into half-bite chunks and add them to the jar.  By this time your project should resemble the 'layered cookie mix in a jar' your husbands aunt gave you for Christmas.  Once you add that all of your solid ingredients are done! All that's left to do is add are your liquid portions of the mix. 

Adding Honey is going to be highly subjective according to your sweet-tooth.  At home, we drizzle a generous amount over all our roots, leaves, and fruits- until it reaches about 1/3rd of the jar.  Then we cap that off with organic apple cider.

Speaking of caps, you'll want to secure this with a plastic cap for your jar, otherwise the metal ones run a chance of rusting and will ruin your efforts and your fire cider will not be safe to consume.  In a pinch when I wasn't able to find a plastic cap for my jar I would simply use a plastic baggy and place it over the top of the jar then secure it with a rubber band or the ring of a canning jar lid.

This makes a great ritual one month before the cold and wet season to assure it will be ready to warm up the body and boost our immune system when needed during that time.  

Leave this to macerate for 30 days and when ready just pour contents through a metal sieve into another jar.  Cap again and refrigerate.  

We like to take this by the shot glass or cut it with simmering water to make a sweet and spiced, warming tea!

Well Wishes,

Merihelen Nunez

You may also be interested in:

• How to prepare a medicinal cup of tea

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Written by Merihelen Nunez Creatress of Tangled Root Botanicals.

Merihelen Nunez is the Owner and Herbalist of Tangled Root Botanicals. She graduated from Southwest Institute of Healing Arts but has had many teachers before ever stepping into an herbal class or program. Before practicing at a professional level most of her education came from the plants themselves and her family.