Potlikker Fire Cider

Fire cider is often called “the people’s medicine” and for good reason! It’s a spicy vinegar made with ingredients you can find in your garden and at your grocer. Things like chile peppers, ginger, onions, and horseradish. It can be full of anti-inflammatory and anti-viral ingredients that support the immune system. This fire cider recipe is a callback to Black foodways and herbalism, but through a contemporary lens that celebrates Black culture. Potlikker is the liquid that develops after cooking down a pot of greens. It’s full of flavor and nutrients and if you have enough, it makes a great broth for sipping. You will often hear people speak of cooking greens as if it is a thing of the past, but many folks, myself included, still turn to a pot of greens for nourishment. But it can be hard to slow down in today’s modern world and make a nice slow-cooked pot of greens. So I’m excited to share a recipe that mimics the ritual of cooking greens and the folkloric beauty of Black herbalism.