S.U.P.E.R T.O.N.I.C.

(Halloween...Circa 2001)

I just LOVE this time of the year!!

Right now, I feel like a witch or a gypsy and I need a cauldron and wooden spoon to brew up the potent tonic spell that is steeping right now in my kitchen...which is guaranteed to open up your sinuses, clear out a head cold and keep away the Vampires! (wink!)

Tracy's sister Shelley has got us hooked on something called "Super Tonic". She has made this up for years and given us several jars of it and we enjoy it SO much that we got the recipe and are making up our first brew of this. It's pretty exciting!

For some crazy reason I have always been fascinated by "old fashioned" remedies for various "ails". I even had a relative that made cough syrup by cooking honey and chopped onion for hours on the stove and the syrup was a soothing relief to drink for a sore throat.

The ingredients in Super Tonic are individually and collectively, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and have many other benefits as well.

White onion---is anti-flammatory, antibacterial and good for digestion
Garlic---anti-fungal, anti-viral
Habanero Peppers---reduces inflammation, clears mucus membranes, detoxifying
Ginger root---anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory improves digestion
Horseradish root---antibiotic, heats up the body to detox

Recipe for Supertonic
1 large white onion
1/4 cup chopped cayenne peppers (leave seeds in), OR you can use a combination of Habanero/Jalapeno peppers...one friend even uses 15-20 Habanero peppers Whichever combination you use will work great. You can also sprinkle in a teaspoon or two of dried Cayenne pepper if your peppers aren't hot enough)
3/4 cup grated horseradish root, peeled
4 whole heads of garlic (not cloves)
1/2 cup grated and peeled ginger root

Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar 2 to 3 quarts

Put the onions, garlic, and peppers, cayenne, horseradish and ginger in a blender and blend until they are a mush.

Put mixture in a gallon size glass jar. Add vinegar until there is about 1-2 inches of vinegar above chopped ingredients (I put in 2 quarts of vinegar)

Cover jar with plastic lid. Leave on counter for one week , pushing stuff down in jar a minimum of 3 times per day with a NON-metal spoon. MAKE SURE to keep sides of jars clean....The stuff sitting on sides of jar can mold and ruin the whole batch.

After 1 week place jar in cool dark place for 3-4 weeks.
STRAIN (through 4 layers of cheesecloth) and then put remaining liquid into dropper bottles, OR, you can store this in a mason jar in the fridge. (discard solids)

Keep Refrigerated and then during cold and flu season to keep icky bugs away put a few dropper-fulls of this down your throat everyday.

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Just making this makes you immune to just about anything and nothing could live in your kitchen for a while, it is pretty strong smelling . I LOVE to take the lid off and inhale the vapors...it cleans out my sinuses every time.

Great gift to give friends!! Don't you wish you were my neighbor...I'd bring you a jar of Super Tonic along with a fresh baked pie, plate of cookies or fresh baked French Bread! (BIG wink)

We have some in our fridge from March of 2008 and it is still potent and hasn't gone bad . It literally can last for years!
All of that vinegar is a preservative and makes it keep for ALONG time.

Looking forward to November 28th
when our Super Tonic will be done "Brewing" and we can fill jars and enjoy the benefits and yummyness of dumping this in our mouths everyday. It's also SO yummy to put a few dropper-fulls of this in soups, or put some on a salad in place of salad dressing!
Lest, you think I'm crazy...
I'm not really...I'm just an adventurous person that likes to try things!
Enjoy!