Small independent creators of food products or handicrafts are now becoming part of the Algarve scenery. We buy their handmade goods at the markets, and we celebrate their contribution to our local culture. I learned a lot about fermentation and the health benefits of herbs when I connected with one of these small-scale producers, Jana Bogaert, who is turning a passion for natural fermentation into a potent health booster in Aljezur.
A recipe rooted in childhood
Jana’s journey began far from the Algarve in the Belgian countryside. She grew up with a mother who harboured a deep love for the health benefits of herbs.
“I remember several occasions where she sent me into the forests and fields to find a specific herb for her, when she was sick or got hurt,” Jana recalls. This early fascination only grew over time, fuelled by a family lineage that includes beer brewers, winemakers and an inventor great-grandfather. This heritage instilled in her a natural thirst for knowledge and a love for creating high-quality, artisanal processes.
Finding freedom in the Algarve
Jana arrived in the Algarve in 2019, seeking to reinvent herself after losing her job as a commercial interior designer. Disillusioned by a corporate world she felt was dominated by “superficial mindsets” and “money bragging”, she set out with no strict plan.
Her travels led her to volunteer in hostels and eventually she converted a Peugeot Partner into a small home on wheels, unchaining herself from the social pressures of Western society. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Jana found herself stranded in the Azores, spending months living and cooking with an international group of travellers, which deeply enriched her culinary palette. Upon returning to the mainland, she felt a profound sense of community in Aljezur and put down roots by purchasing a house there in 2020.
An accidental elixir
With a settled kitchen, Jana’s culinary and fermentation experiments blossomed. When a large batch of homemade kombucha accidentally turned into three litres of vinegar while she was travelling, she faced a dilemma that ultimately sparked her current business: Fire Cider.
Today, producing this raw, cold-pressed elixir is Jana’s full-time business. She continually refines the recipe to create a richer, more balanced taste profile while retaining the core health benefits of the ingredients. Her Fire Cider is now stocked in local shops, restaurants and brunch cafés across the region.
The power of the potion
Fire Cider is packed with antioxidants, merging powerful ingredients like ginger, turmeric (curcuma) and galangal, which serve as strong anti-inflammatories that can lower blood sugar and reduce joint pain. Jana also incorporates local raw honey, a natural antibiotic that provides immediate relief for scratchy throats.
The addition of apple cider vinegar helps regulate the body’s pH by shifting the body into an alkaline state, while onion, garlic and piri-piri aid digestion, support heart health, improve blood circulation, and help manage blood pressure. Piri-piri is also an anti-inflammatory, which aids weight loss and supports heart and joint health. “Many of the ingredients work together, making it a potent health-booster, with many different functions. A lot of my clients buy the product during the months of sniffles and colds, or when they feel themselves getting run down.”
While most of her customers knock it back as a quick health shot, others prefer to mix it with sparkling water for a refreshing lemonade, add it to their tea, or even whisk it into a vibrant salad dressing with a touch of mustard.
Jana also has a zero-waste approach, ensuring that nothing goes to waste by selling a byproduct at local markets – a Fire Cider spice mix. It is perfect for brewing effective teas, enhancing raw cacao, or acting as a marinade for meat, tuna or tofu.
So if you are looking for a kick-start into summer, you may wish to take a sip of Jana’s secret potion for a natural health boost, which is sure to set you on fire.
Did you know?
Gut health heroes: the onion and garlic used in the cider are excellent dietary sources of fructans, prebiotic fibres that feed your gut flora and help it function at its absolute best.
Electrolyte boost: the ingredients are also rich in potassium, an essential mineral that regulates nerve signals, muscle contractions and your heartbeat.
For a list of where to buy Fire Cider go to Jana´s Instagram @fire_cider_bd
