Lincoln Greeners’ Fire Cider Recipe

Each winter, the Lincoln Greeners come together to make a batch of fire cider - a warming, sweet-and-spicy infusion that’s become a bit of a seasonal tradition.

Fire cider was first introduced to the group by Matilya, who led Lincoln Greeners in its early years. It’s something the group returns to each winter as sessions move indoors, offering a simple, shared activity that brings everyone around the table to chop, stir and catch up while the batch slowly comes together.

Fire cider doesn’t need to follow a strict recipe. Ingredients can change depending on what’s around, and the process is just as much about spending time together (and having a little patience!) as it is about what ends up in the jar. But if you’d like to make it at home, here’s how we do it.

Illustrated recipe courtesy of talented Mafwa volunteer Huda!

Fire Cider Recipe

You’ll need

• 5 cloves of garlic

• 1 piece of ginger

• 1 thumb of turmeric

• 3 chillis

• 1 orange

• 500ml raw apple cider vinegar

• 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 rosemary stalks

• Black pepper

• 1 litre jar

How to make it

1) Peel the garlic. Slice the ginger and turmeric. Chop the chillies. Zest and juice the orange.

2) Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, chillies and orange zest to a clean 1-litre jar. Pour over the apple cider vinegar and give it a good stir.

3) Add the honey (or maple syrup, cinnamon stick, rosemary and orange juice and a few turns of black pepper.

4) Make sure everything is covered by the vinegar. Seal the jar and store it somewhere cool and dark.

5) You can start to use it after about 5 days, but we tend to leave it for 4-8 weeks so that the flavours have plenty of time to develop.

6) Once it’s ready, you can strain the liquid before using.

Fire cider can be added to hot water, food or other drinks for a warming kick during the cold winter months.