Last fall, my germophopic girlfriend told me about Fire Cider – a witches brew of immune-boosting ingredients that she swears wards off unwanted viruses when taken regularly.  I immediately ran out for supplies and – six months and three batches later – I am still virus free for the first winter in years.

Place all these ingredients into an airtight jar or fermenting jar, cover it with apple cider vinegar and let it ferment in a dark place for two weeks.  (Make sure to weigh down the roots and veggies, covered by the vinegar, with a fermenting weight to keep them from spoiling.)  Strain the fermented vinegar through a cheese clothe and toss the (now very stinky) roots and veggies.  Keep the Fire Cider refrigerated in a dark jar.  You can take it in it’s fully concentrated form, like I do, or you can dilute it with hot water and drink it as a healthyful tea.

Each morning, I take two tablespoons of this tart, spicy concoction, along with a 6 oz. shot of water with Emergen-C.  I don’t know if it’s the Fire Cider, the Emergen-C or the combination of both that has been doing the trick…and I don’t really care as long as it keeps working!