Fire Cider!: 101 Zesty Recipes for Health-Boosting Remedies Made with Apple Cider Vinegar

by Rosemary Gladstar

"Fire Cider! is a lively collection of 101 recipes contributed by more than 70 herbal enthusiasts"--

Genres: Cookbooks, Health, Nonfiction, Cooking, Reference, Food, Herbs

204 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2019

About the author

Rosemary Gladstar is a pioneer in the herbal movement and has been called the "Godmother of American Herbalism." She began more than 35 years ago developing herbal formulas in her herb shop, Rosemary's Garden in Sonoma County, California. She is the founder of the California School of Herbal Studies, the oldest running herb school in the United States, author of The Science and Art of Herbalism home study course, and is the director of the International Herb Symposium and The New England Women's Herbal Conference held annually in NE. She is the author of numerous herb books including the bestseller Herbal Healing for Women, The Storey Book Herbal Healing Series, and Herbal Remedies for Vibrant Health. Rosemary is also the co-founder of Traditional Medicinal Tea Company and did all of the original formulations for the company. She has taught extensively throughout the United States and worldwide at venues as varied as backyard gardens, native villages, garden clubs to universities and hospitals. She has won numerous awards and certificates for her work with medicinal plants, but her greatest reward has been in watching the herbal renaissance soar from its birth and feeling in some small exciting way, a part of it.

Her greatest passion has been the work of United Plant Savers, a nonprofit organization that Rosemary founded in 1994 and is currently serving as Founding President. UpS is dedicated to the conservation and cultivation of at-risk North American medicinal plants and to preserving botanical sanctuaries across the U.S. to help preserve the land that these precious native species thrive on. For information on United Plant Savers, please visit: www.unitedplantsavers.org

Rosemary lives and works from her home, Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center, a 500-acre botanical preserve in central Vermont.

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you don't know anything about vinegar, then this book is THE one of your dreams!

Did you know... that vinegar helps the body balance blood sugar? If you have diabetes and don't take insulin, 2 tablespoons at night and your blood sugar is lowered... or you can drink it mixed with water before a meal...

I know that I give it to my goats when they show anemic and tummy issues... whip out the "red cell" and Apple cider vinegar and they get right!

It fights infections, helps you lose weight, reduces leg cramps, sore throat, stuffy nose, and tummy issues (but be careful... it might be too much acid), and helps reduce fat mass. You can make it yourself.. it is fermenting things like apples.. which is better for you because it is not a purified as commercial products.

So it it full of recipes to make your own.. can't wait to try it..

4 stars

Happy Reading!

[Don Gerstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the uninitiated (like me), “Fire Cider!” contains more than enough information to allow anyone to become knowledgeable about fire cider vinegar and its healing (as well as its cooking) uses. While I had heard of drinking apple cider vinegar, this was my first introduction to a dazzling number of recipes and the potential remedies each contained.

Chapter 1 helps bring us newbies up to speed, providing a history of fire cider and a few other recipes that have been passed down through the ages. I found the chapter interesting, and it gave me a foundation to help with the rest of the book. Chapters 2 and 3 explains why the author is listed as Rosemary Gladstar and Friends. There are pages and pages of recipes and suggested uses, written by folks who have been active in the herbal remedy community (there is a list and short bio of each contributor in the back of the book).

Cooking with Vinegar and Fire Cider is the title of Chapter 4, which is a mini-cookbook showing how easy it is to introduce fire cider into your life by making it a part of your meals. Salad dressings, jerk sauce, tartar sauce, hummus, even soup and chili – there are enough recipes here to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. And when dinner is over, there are even recipes for cocktails (yes, I am talking about adult beverages).

I thought it was a nice touch to include a metric conversion chart. As recipes should have the correct proportions, this will enable folks to achieve the correct measurements no matter where they live. The festive drawings which are included on many of the pages give the book a free spirit aura, and are a good match for the subject. The recipes are well-described, making it easy for anyone to follow the recipe. If you are interested in herbal remedies or would like to add to your list of recipes, this is a great book. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for a complimentary advance copy of this book.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, congratulations to Rosemary Gladstar and the other herbalists for the end of the ridiculous legal battle that has been dragging on for years about the name Fire Cider. They won this month and I am so happy for them. For those who don't know, the fantastic and legendary herbalist Rosemary Gladstar has been teaching people how to make fire cider for literally decades and she coined the name for it. It has been a generic term for a well loved remedy that herbalists around the world have made since the late 1900's. Then a couple of people bottled their own recipe, filed a trademark for the name and then proceeded to file injunctions against anybody who used the name that those folks had been using for their products for years, a name this company had stolen from Rosemary and then sued her for using. This has dragged on for years and a judge has finally ruled that they had no right to copyright the term and it is once more fair use for all.

You sort of have to know that bit of a back story to appreciate why you'd want over a hundred recipes for fire cider and goodies made from fire cider. It also helps to know what a fantastic gift Rosemary Gladstar has been to the herbal community, and how fire cider is just a really fantastic remedy.

This book goes into the history of fire cider, a bit about the lawsuit, and the benefits of apple cider vinegar. It then goes into Rosemary's original recipe and dozens of others from herbalists around the country and the world. Some add ingredients like elderberries and hibiscus to the standard ingredients (horseradish, onions, citrus, etc.). The last chapter has recipes for salad dressings, cocktails and other goodies incorporating fire cider.

The book is vibrantly illustrated with colorful, happy art throughout. It's wacky, happy, wonderful and friendly, like Ms. Gladstar.

This is a book that celebrates the generosity and goodness of the global community of herbalists, especially that of Ms. Gladstar. It's as exuberant and colorful as she is. I plan to buy a copy for my kitchen counter. I have to admit that elderberry syrup is my standard remedy (along with some raw garlic on the side for some ailments). I'm an elderberry book author, after all, and elderberries generally serve me well all on their own. I can also make elderberry syrup up in under an hour, with no need to steep it for weeks like fire cider (incidentally, in my elderberry book I credit Rosemary Gladstar for her basic elderberry syrup recipe that sold me on elderberries all those years ago). That said, I kept meaning to make fire cider and now I'm determined to start experimenting and finally do it. I'm excited to try some of these recipes and eventually settle on my own (of course I'll include elderberries), probably with lots of foraged healthful plants since we gather lots of those.

I'm so glad Rosemary wrote this book, and so glad that common sense and the herbalist community prevailed in this law suit. This book is a great celebration of all that is good about herbal remedies and the folks who share them.

I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you know benefits of fire cider — a spicy blend of apple cider vinegar, onion, ginger, horseradish, garlic, and other immune-boosting herbs? I knew about apple cider vinegar benefits but not the others. Many healthful recipes and potential health remedies from best-selling author and popular herbalist Rosemary Gladstar . Very informative book.
Published October 15th 2019 by Storey Publishing, LLC

I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Latasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! So many recipes to try and so much info. I can't wait to make my own FIRE CIDER!

[Kerstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely collection of recipes, essays, poems, and the wisdom of home remedies.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are tons of recipes on the internet for free. This book had a lot of interesting background about the herbalists/hippies who created it and another couple who trademarked the name and produced their fire cider. Infusing herbs and healthy things in apple cider vinegar and letting it set on a shelf for 3-4 weeks. After that, strain out the liquid and add honey (not a bunch) to the liquid. They say to take a small shot daily for ailments such as colds, sore throats, and coughs. I think this would be a nice way to jazz up my ice water every day or add to a favorite herbal tea.

[Marissa Hesterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars. If you are wanting to make fire cider, this is an amazing book. It takes a deep dive into the history Rosemary Gladstar’s modern revival of this vinegar tonic. It also helped me grow a huge appreciation for Apple Cider Vinegar. I have more confidence in this tonic in regard to usage as well as preparation. There are also 101 different recipes which were fun to look over.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot. For anyone who is interested in home herbalism this book is really great for beginners as well as others who are more experienced with herbs.

[The Reading Hammock | Erin]

I bought this book for my dad, who's been dabbling at making his own fire cider for a year or so now, as a birthday present for later this year. Figured he wouldn't mind if I took a read through it first though! Lots of really cool recipes, loved t he variety and stories behind each one. And I learned something (re: the Fire Cider copyright lawsuits) and am glad to have supported an effort to keep this long-standing herbal tradition a free-to-use, common name!

[Amy Kreydin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! So many inspiring recipes for different ways to making fire cider and then ways to use it. I mean, salad dressings, chutneys, curries, what's not to love when you add some herbal vinegar to your cooking?!

[Angie Pachniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has some very good recipes. The Bloody Mary one is my husband's favorite.

[Sara Cross · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the back story of fire cider and the anecdotal evidence of people feeling better after consumption. I’ve been taking a shot a day for a few days and already feel a difference, more so than when I take my vitamins.

That being said, the contributors were a little too hippie and even witchy for me (I’m not going to chant in a field under a full moon or pray to the spirit-plants) and the recipes were just repetitions of the original with small variations. Why not just make a list of alternative ingredients? But then it would not have made a whole book.

[Bonnie DeMoss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fire cider provides a lot of interesting recipes for fermented apple cider vinegar drinks that help with various health issues. I plan on trying several of these. I enjoyed the illustrations and history of apple cider. If you are interested in fermentation, apple cider, natural living, and home remedies, you will enjoy this book.

[Malinda Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustration and overall style was lovely and it was a fun read, but it seemed to me as though all the recipes were such slight variations on the same idea that it hardly warranted so many of them. I enjoyed the personal anecdotes, stories and ideas from the contributors, though. I found the history and uses of fire cider to be the most compelling parts of the book and wish it included more detail.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Fire Cider! is a new herbal based recipe book utilizing apple cider vinegar by Rosemary Gladstar (& friends). Released 15th Oct 2019 by Storey, it's 204 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is an interesting book with some history, some folk wisdom, some chatty background (including some legal drama), and lots of recipes for making and using herbal tinctures and concoctions. The author has a chatty and inviting writing style which is accessible and fun.

The book itself has a logical layout: introductory chapters (including the beginnings of the legal drama) are followed by a discussion of apple cider vinegar and its properties, the origins of fire cider, and some uses, recipes for fire cider and variations, variations such as oxymels tonics and such, and cooking with fire cider. The book also includes short contributor bios, a metric conversion chart, and an index.

The recipes themselves are arranged with a title, the ingredients (given in American standard units) listed bullet style to the left of the sidebar, and step by step instructions. The ingredients are mostly familiar and easy to source at a grocery store, co-op, or farmer's market. There are many of the recipes which also include short bios or history about the contributors, which I generally found charming and entertaining. In fact, the entire book has a community feel with a lot of shared history and cooperation.

As a denouement to the above-mentioned legal trademark wrangling, on 13th Oct 2019, the US district court in Massachusetts, ruled in favor of the originators of fire cider, and they successfully defended their right to use the name and that it should remain generic and usable by the community.

The book is enjoyable, the recipes are varied and interesting. I also really enjoyed the art and graphics. They're informal and energetic. In fact, a lot of them remind me in a way of the graphics from that hippie icon from a bygone age, The Whole Earth Catalog.

Four stars, I would wholeheartedly recommend it to folks who would like to try apple cider vinegar in their daily routines.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[LittleRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking at this book and the reviews, then either you know who Rosemary Gladstar is and are a fan of the herbalist queen, or you’re interested in Fire Cider. Either way, you’ve found the golden ticket to fire cider!

I’ve been a fan of Rosemary’s for years now and have a few of her books. Fire Cider was one of those things that I had tried many years ago and decided I didn’t care for the taste much. But then a whole new world of recipes being shared across the herbal community brought variations and encouraged creating your own brew that works for you and even using it other recipes to change the taste even further. This book compiles more than 100 recipes and there is surely to be one, if not many, that will capture your interest and have you making a batch or two for your family and for use in other recipes.

One of the recipes that really caught me by surprise was for a lavender salad dressing. A friend brought me a bunch of organic lavender that she grows and I saw this and the lights came on! You will get so much out of this book, do not hesitate to order today!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book couldn’t have come at a better time for me as an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. Earlier in the day, I downed some of my elderberry tincture as my 3 year old granddaughter arrived with the sniffles. I knew I was on my last bottle and thought about ordering supplies to start this years batch before the “season” kicks in. I’ve always wanted to give Rosemarys Fire Cider a go but hadn’t gone any further than looking up a basic recipe she generously shares. This book is so much more! There are multiple variations of recipes provided by multiple contributors and I loved reading their backstory first to understand why they used the recipe they do. Most of them start out generally the same but each contributor adds a twist. Several formulations are provided from ciders to vinegars and tonics. There is also a section on recipes that use fire cider as an ingredient in them. (Hello, lavender vinegar!) What a fabulous reference for anyone who has ever wanted to boost their immunity with natural, time honored remedies!

[sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed this from the library so as to decide whether to buy it & cannot wait time get my own copy. I have heard of fire cider & been loosely following the court case, but this book really opens up the practice. As a beginning herbalist, the range of recipes is informative & inspiring. Those who have rated the book poorly either have no knowledge/interest in herbalism or do not fully believe in its benefits, which seems like a lack of information on their part vs. the quality of the book at hand. The best part about these contributing recipes is that there are so many versions depending on region that it’s almost impossible not to find one that suits you. I.E., fire cider is a very accessible herbal remedy & you can absolutely put your own spin on it. If the addition of “other” herbs makes you hesitant, do some additional research before adding them to learn about their benefits. Fire cider should be free for all.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing that caught my eye about this book is how beautiful it is - just looking at that cheerful cover makes me happy! And the inside is just filled with gorgeous illustrations and photos, too. But make no mistake, this is a book of substance, too. In this book, Rosemary shares her original recipe and tells the story of Fire Cider from when she first created through to the recently-won court battle over the name. She gives good background info about the use of vinegar in folk medicine throughout history and includes recipes for making your own apple cider vinegar. But what I think makes this book really special is that it shares many variations of Fire Cider recipes created by various herbalists all over the country. There are recipes for oxymels, vinegar tonics, topical recipes, as well as recipes for using Fire Cider in the kitchen. This book is definitely a keeper and will become a permanent part of my herbal reference library!

[Mary Dickerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun graphics and great information are the stars of this book. A collection of 101 recipes, as well as various uses for apple cider vinegar, history, folk wisdom and more.

Although published under only one author, this book is rather a work of a community that shared their recipes to make this book possible. Each recipe includes a short bio, that gives credit to the author or keeper of that recipe. (I say, keeper because many times these recipes are actually authored by family members, like the proverbial grandma's secret recipe)

A very informative book that goes beyond listing recipes. With fun graphics and an energetic writing style, this book is a wonderful resource for any kitchen or collector's library.

It even includes a legal battle over the trademark of the name Fire Cider. Now a part of the colorful story of cider.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book! I like that people are standing up for Fire Cider. I don't think that fire cider is someone's own. Even if something is called fire cider, there's also the fire cider that everyone uses. That's not "someone's own fire cider", because it's used in other places for other people from other people. It's nice to see that there are so many herbalists and people who care about Natural Medicine and Plants, most of which who have herb schools, and that means even more herbalists.
Not only is this good and funny and informative, I assume that just buying it helps with the trademark because this book is trying to fight against the trademark. They also have great resources. Plus, the pictures are AMAZING and lifelike.
Fire Cider! 101 Zesty Recipes for Health-Boosting Remedies Made with Apple Cider Vinegar by Rosemary Gladstar has too many things to like. :)

[Dixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a great collection of recipes, poems, prose, and essays celebrating the health benefits of "fire cider" and other vinegar-based home remedies and tonics. The "fire" comes from spicy herbs, aromatic vegetables, and peppers used to infuse the vinegar with flavor and enrich its health benefits. I loved the variety of blends and the backstories of the many contributors to this collection. If you're looking for recipes for a non-pharmaceutical pick-me-up, you'll find a treasure trove of options in this volume.
I requested and voluntarily read a complementary copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley. I offer my honest opinions in response.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful book heralding the centuries-long tradition of using fermented fruit/vinegar for health purposes and herbal remedies. Rosemary Gladstar is the fairy godmother of herbal medicine, and was not willing to allow such a ubiquitous recipe to become trademarked after she had taught it to so many for decades. I absolutely adore this tribute to a wonderful health tonic that warms body, soul, and spirit. I love all 101 recipes and can’t wait to try them all! I’ve started to make my own beloved versions as well. My favorite of these recipes include variations with tulsi, hibiscus, dark berries, and balsamic vinegar. A treasured book that will stay on my shelf long-term!

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besides absolutely amazing recipes for various fire ciders, this book also delves into the historical use of fire ciders and other herbal tonics in an easy and compact way, keeping one interested and entertained. I have made fire cider before, and consumed it throughout the autumn & winter months, but I’d never seen recipes for all the wonderful things you can make WITH your homemade fire cider; mustards, chutneys, salad dressings, spicy jams, and even fire cider, roasted peanuts! Great book for end of summer as you need to make these recipes now, to have the allotted 4 to 6 weeks for their maceration process, before needing to consume them for winter’s needed immunity boosts.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d read somewhere about the “Fire Cider” name copy-write battle. So it was with great interest to read about how some version of fire cider has been around and called fire cider for thousands of years.
Also great to have at least 100 different recipe takes on this basic core recipe. Having all the basic ingredients at home but one, I bought a chunk of horseradish yesterday. Eager to try this out. Thanks to all the recipe sharers. The name “Fire Cider” might be newly copywrited, but the history and the sharing is still available to everyone.

[Taylor Friese · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fire cider has a lot of potential as a culinary ingredient and is packed full of nutrients to help keep you healthy. HOWEVER this book makes a lot of claims (the curing skin cancer bit) and is full of anecdotal evidence and does little to support it. Yes make fire cider, yes do your shots, yes food and medicine are closely linked, but also talk to a (good) doctor if you have cancer... And get vaccinated.
A lot of these recipes and stories get a bit repetitive.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tried a recipe from another source which turned out lousy so I'm intimidated by the process & ingredients.
An issue with the ingredients is that I live in a very rural midwestern town and ready access to fresh versions of the ingredients is laughably bad. :(
A few recipes sounded particularly interesting but they have nettles in them and I'm allergic to nettles.
If I decide to try again this is the source I'd try.

[Trace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I used to make what I called a master tonic every fall for years. It's basically the same as the fire cider outlined in this book. One year, I could not find horseradish anywhere, and it didn't happen for a few years. This book, with all of its recipe variations has inspired me to return to making it this fall. I also want a copy of this book for my own personal library, as the copy I read was borrowed from the library.

[K. LovesBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and Inspiring

This book is perfectly timed for autumn crafting. I have a huge batch of traditional fire cider going, and I also made the electuary. Tomorrow I’m going to make the Hibiscus Pomegranate Orange recipe. Fantastic book full of great info, recipes, and history!

[Karly Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Great information and lots of recipes. This is an inspirational book and has earned a place on my highly curated cookbook shelf. It is already getting stained from use. LOVE THIS!! If you like making kombucha, playing with kitchen cosmetics, or are interested in affordable healthy products, this book is for you.