A Toast to Your Health with Winter Warmers

Turn Up the Heat with Roaring Fire Cider

First off, a toast is in order. To your health! To staying close—from a distance—and to navigating an incredibly tricky year with relative grace. May we clink our proverbial glasses together in cheers!

In prep for the toasting season (even if it’s on Zoom), my bar cabinet is stocked with holiday staples and my pantry shelves are groaning under the weight of jar upon jar of arresting spirited infusions—but the real show stopper there is fire cider. Fire cider is generally an infusion of sweet, spicy and savory herbs in raw apple cider vinegar. It’s a generations-old folk remedy used as a daily health tonic and cooking ingredient. In its minimal form, horseradish, ginger, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, honey and apple cider vinegar yield a sweet, pungent elixir meant to boost the immune system, energize and warm the body from the inside out.

Though there are hundreds of fire cider formulas (and a noteworthy trademark battle over the name), I favor those recipes with a hint of natural sweetness. My recipe for Roaring Fire Cider is as beautiful as it is useful and also happens to make a great gift. It incorporates tart cranberries, turmeric and citrus wheels to add a fruity zestiness, which makes sipping all the more palatable. It slides effortlessly into a cocktail glass anytime you want a dose of sweet, savory heat. It works well in a classic Sour (spirit, honey or sugar syrup, citrus) but its true home is in the accompanying cocktail: The Kindling. Spicy pungent flavors meld with smoky mezcal and a light, jovial handshake with honey and lime. Garnish with sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary and you’ve got a seriously festive (dare I say healthful?) mezcal margarita on your hands.

Salute!