Sterilize a quart-sized glass mason jar by boiling or putting it in the dishwasher. Set this aside. Prepare the garlic, ginger, horseradish, and onions as specified above. You can keep any skins on; we’ll strain them out later. Add to your jar. Mince the herbs and add with the lavender and cayenne to your jar as well.

Gently warm the apple cider vinegar over the stove, being careful not to let it boil, lest you destroy its live enzymes. Pour the heated vinegar into your quart jar over the herbs. The warmth helps it draw out all the plants’ properties.

Cover the entire mixture with a piece of parchment paper and then screw on the lid tightly. Shake vigorously. Label this steeping concoction with the name of the potion (Zippy Cider), the ingredients, the date you started the steeping, and maybe the end date just to avoid any mental math down the road.

Let it sit in a cool dark place for two weeks, or up to a month. Shake daily and infuse it with your intentions! Traditionally, fire cider is buried in a hole in the earth and left to soak up the planetary vibes for a full moon cycle. You can totally do this, too!

After at least two weeks, strain out the solids, compost them and bottle your vinegar. You can add raw honey and sweeten to taste. It’s so good! I usually add about a half cup of honey to the quart. It will keep for many months and does not need to be refrigerated.