Make Your Own Apple Cider Vinegar

 

About 10 years ago now, Earl and I bought a couple of really small apple trees for our yard.  We have patiently waited through the years for them to get big enough to make apples.  We were able to get some apples the last couple of years but this was the first year that the tree was doing really well and brought us a decent amount of apples. I wish I had thought to take a picture of it before we harvested it and it started dropping it's leaves! Next year I will get one for you. 

The next step was to figure out what to do with all the apples.  We don't use any wax or preservatives so these apples wouldn't last as long as the ones that you would buy at the store.  I am super lucky that Earl knows how to can.  We purchased a gallon of cider and he canned all the apples in apple cider. You can see them above. Aren't they so pretty! They taste incredible as well! This isn't all the jars that he made. I think we got 12 total. 



Some of you may be wondering what the two jars are to the left that look a bit different.  Aren't they pretty? Those are going to be apple cider vinegar.  How many of you love apple cider vinegar.  It's a staple in my house and I can't wait to see how this comes out.  Ready for the part that I think is amazing?  He made it with all the parts that we didn't use from the apples.  Those jars (we have a total of four) are filled with the apple peels and the cores.  We managed to use almost all of the apples.  We had to cut out some bad spots.

The apple cider vinegar is easy to make.  You throw all the parts you don't want into a mason jar.  Start with the cores on the bottom because they will float. Then add the scraps until the jar is about 3/4 of the way full.  Then fill the jars to top with sugar water.  You use one tablespoon of sugar to a cup of water.  If you have a bit of apple cider vinegar with the mother in the house you can add a bit of that.  If you don't you don't need to.  Fill a sandwich bag with water and put it on the top of everything to help weigh it down.  You can also use a fermenting weight if you have one.  Cover it with cheesecloth or a coffee filter so that it can breathe but bugs can't get in.  Leave it for about two weeks.  At the end of two weeks strain it and put it into a clean jar and let it ferment for another two weeks.  At the end of that it's good! You can store it in the fridge or your cabinet.

Not only is apple cider amazing to use in cooking but you can also use it in your magick work to help repel negative energy and to cleanse spaces.  You can also use it in drinks.  For one of my favorites combine a bit of apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon and star anise with hot water. I find it great for the belly and colds.  Available with hot water as a 12 oztea, or as a shot on its own.     

I hope that you have an amazingly magickal day!

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong