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A while back a friend and I were lamenting a crappy Manhattan. I believe my rant was something along the lines of how there was too much Vermouth and not enough bitters, and she came up with the brilliant idea of carrying a small bottle of Angostura in her purse for emergencies. While I haven't gone quite that far (and I'm half sure she was joking), I do think the bitters family needs more attention in the home cocktail arena.
For example: celery bitters by Scrappy's. Excellent with gin or in a Bloody Mary or just about anything in the warmer months. Kind of expensive, but worth it. If you buy it at The Boston Shaker in Davis Square, they'll probably let you try the chocolate flavor, too.
Then there's Regan's Orange, concocted by Gary Regan in the 90s since he couldn't find an orange bitters he liked. Not as expensive as Scrappy's, and more widely available, too. It's great in the aforementioned Manhattan or anything with whiskey, really. But most bitters are good in a way you might not expect.
Chez moi (sorry, we started Classical French cuisine in school today) we like a drop or two of bitters over ice, topped with seltzer. It's tasty and a little special, you know? Plus the seltzer bottle makes such a satisfying FWoooooSHHHH! when you screw in the CO2 cartridge.
Thanks for leaving me a comment on my blog, I love the pictures on your blog. You guys are done with Italian and on to Classical French? All that Italian food always looked soo good...excited to see what you guys make now!
ReplyDeleteHow very creative! I've definitely been hearing a lot about bitters lately so you are certainly on trend. I cannot say I have much experience with them myself. Have you ever been to Drink? It's a bit on the pricey side, but they have a fabulous collection of bitters. I have no idea if they go into the drinks I enjoy there, but the array itself is facinating.
ReplyDeleteI've got 2 kinds of bitters in my bar cupboard and I love them. Haven't tried them in just a plain ol' spritzer, but I will for the summer. I've been meaning to try celery bitters too!
ReplyDeleteI have in my head that ya'll have tried them and didn't care for them-- perhaps I'm thinking of someone else?-- but I've found that some Bittermens grapefruit bitters and seltzer over ice makes a lovely spritzer as well. It also pairs well with some aji amarillo-infused vodka. Also, Angostura bitters in seltzer is almost as effectively medicinal as some Fernet Branca after a too-big meal.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little bitters freak ever since I discovered Peychaud's when I worked in a bar many years ago. Who knew there was anything besides Angostura? I love that the cocktail renaissance has fueled the creative bitters industry! Have you tried Fee Brothers? I like the orange flavor with cold seltzer.
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