Now that Valentine’s Day is
over and we can all go back to our usual weekend plans without having to worry
if it is pink or red themed, I thought it would be a good time to do an
ingredient highlight on bitters. This word “bitter” continuously popped up in
conversation last week with my singleton friends as February 14th
quickly approached. . . .
So what exactly are bitters?
We all know they come in little bottles, are kind of expensive, and we are only
to use a few dashes at a time. (Just so we are clear, there is no perfect way to get a dash. I usually just tip the bottle over and give it a light tap) But bitters are actually the perfect way to add
flavor complexity to a drink without watering it down.
There are dozens of bitters
companies out there but the two main and most popular are Angostura and
Peychaud's. All of these can be found at your nearest liquor store and rebottled into more attractive decanters if
you choose.
Angostura Bitters were
originally formulated as a digestive tonic and is a concentrated infusion of
roots and spices. They can easily be spotted by the yellow cap and the oversized
Peychaud’s Bitters are
bright red and cherry flavored – vital to prepare a proper Sazerac. These bitters are also perfect in Scotch based drinks or classic cocktails.
Orange Bitters are made from
the rinds of Seville oranges and various spices.
Angostura and Fee brothers
both make their own version of orange bitters, although I prefer the Fee Brothers as it adds variety to my home bar.
Since the explosion of
mixology over the last decade, the list of bitters has grown too. Below is a list
of some of the coolest and craziest bitters I have come across!
The great thing about this
expansion in the bitters world is that there are now easy ways to experiment
and make your own! I love this idea and think it is a fun way to make your own
flavor profiles – I am dying to make vanilla bean bitters since I think it will
compliment a pour of bourbon nicely. Check out this youtube video on how to create
your own bitters! Cheers!
Greetings, my hubby and I also enjoy having a couple of cocktails to unwind on the weekends, so I am enjoying your blog very much! We love to hang out in the kitchen and cook and talk with no worries of being out in the "bar scene". We do get in a rut with our choice of cocktails, however, so I am appreciating your ideas! Hubby loves Compari, do you have any cool ideas for cocktails that I can try with that liquor? Thanks and I look forward to following your blog!
ReplyDeleteGreat breakdown of bitters. I have a champagne cocktail with Angostura bitters. It was delicious!
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