It’s the perfect time of year to get your Master Tonic brewing for the season ahead! ‘Master Tonic’ is a natural anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic tonic to take through the fall and winter months of cold and flu season when you are surrounded by coughing, sneezing and contagious people, or whenever you’re feeling under the weather.
Also known as ‘Fire Cider’, Master Tonic is made with raw garlic, horseradish, turmeric, ginger, onions, hot peppers, lemon and apple cider vinegar. These raw ingredients have pretty amazing medicinal properties on their own, and combined they give you a potent natural medicine!
When selecting ingredients, choose the best high quality organic you can find. Choosing organic ingredients ensures that no GMO’s or pesticides will end up in your healing brew. Bonus if you grow some of the ingredients yourself!
Master Tonic Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chopped and peeled fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup chopped and peeled fresh turmeric
- 1/2 cup chopped and peeled fresh horseradish
- 1/2 cup chopped garlic
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion
- 1/2 cup chopped HOT peppers (jalapeños, habaneros…go as hot as you can tolerate)
- zest and juice of 2 lemons
- apple cider vinegar (organic, with the ‘mother’)
Directions
1. Add all of your chopped ingredients into a glass jar. I used a 1 gallon mason jar and it was about half full.
2. Cover well with apple cider vinegar by an inch or two. Some of the pieces will float to the top- use a plate, a fermenting weight or a large cabbage leaf…something to hold the bits under the apple cider vinegar to prevent any spoilage. The chunky ingredients will also absorb some liquid and expand, making sure to cover with an extra inch or two will account for this.
3. Let this tonic sit in a dark area such as a cabinet, at room temperature for 4-6 weeks to infuse. If you want to shake it up during this time and you are using a metal lid- make sure you have a barrier between the vinegar and the metal such as wax or parchment paper to avoid corrosion to the metal lid and contaminating your tonic.
4. After the Master Tonic has infused for at least 4 weeks, strain out the veggies and herbs and store tonic in a glass container. This will store indefinitely at room temperature.
5. The leftover chopped herbs and veggies can be used in other dishes to add flavor, composted, or I fed mine to our chickens hoping they get an immunity boost too!
Will you be surrounded by sick kids, office mates or a sneezing spouse? Or you just want to keep your immunity in tip top shape? Preventative use of 1 tablespoon a day is a commonly used amount. If you’re already feeling under the weather, take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day until you are back to your healthy self. You can drink this straight up as a Master Tonic shot, or add to hot water as you would a tea, for a toned down version. You can also add raw, local honey or a bit of stevia to taste if you need some sweetness. One thing is for sure, this tart and spicy drink will clear your sinuses and warm you up!
Ref: motherearthnews.com
