The story of vinegar as medicine is one steeped in mystery, intrigue, thievery, and a whole bevy of herbs and spices too. Vinegar is used as part of traditional medical practices across the world, but one of the most famous remedies, here in the U.S. at least, is fire cider.
Modern herbalists rely on fire cider as a nourishing winter tonic, which helps keep the bugs at bay during cold and flu season. But fire cider is part of a long history going all the way back to the European Middle Ages, and the use of medicinal vinegars has informed iconic flavor pairings, which we still find across European and North American cuisines today.
Legendary Origins
People have crafted medicinal vinegars for thousands of years and across many continents. For the ancient Greeks and Romans through the early modern period, vinegar was used to balance the four humors, a practice echoed in the foods
