Fire Cider Tonic

While most recipes for fire cider use a heavy hand with the garlic because of its potent medicinal properties, we recommend going easy unless you want neighbors knocking on the door every time you crack open a bottle. Otherwise, you should feel free to tweak and embrace the flexible nature of this recipe. Fresh turmeric is a lovely substitute for dried—use about 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped or grated. And instead of dried hot chiles, use sliced fresh jalapeño or habanero, or even smoke-dried ones. Consider adding other citrus, such as grapefruit or blood oranges, in place of or in addition to the lemon. Note: this recipe needs to sit for 1 month before enjoying.