© Kathy Casey Food Studios® - Liquid Kitchen ™ - IACP 2011kathycasey.com/.../KathyCasey-BettertobeBitterIACP.pdf · 2011-06-02 · Did you not know that this is the best mosquito

© Kathy Casey Food Studios® - Liquid Kitchen ™ - IACP 2011


What is it?

Chances are… there is a bottle behind the bar right now

•Simply bitters are a spirit based infusion of a number of herbs, spices, fruits,

and aromatics. (some are nonalcoholic)

•Bitters add a another layer of flavor to cocktails….and food.

•Consider bitters to be the salt and pepper or the soy sauce of the beverage

world.

•Bitters also have the potential to be a powerful balancing agent in the

kitchen.

•Bitters have a rich history in the US and in Europe that is centuries old.

•More than just a cure for hiccups.

•Peychaud‟s, Angostura, Regan‟s are practically household names

Bitter History: An American Tale


The First:

Developed by pharmacists, sold as a daily tonic for a range of

ailments and proposed health benefits.

•Angostura: developed in Venezuela in 1824 - produced in

Trinidad as a stomach ailment remedy. Later becomes most

commonly used bitters

•Rum based, bittered by gentian, dominating flavors of

cinnamon, clove, orange peel, and coffee.

• Peychaud’s: created in early1800s by apothecary extraordinaire

Antoine Amedee Peychaud in New Orleans.

• Based on neutral spirit, bittered with gentian and carrying

light flavors of anise and cherry. Distinctive red color. Classic

ingredient in the original Sazerac cocktail.

The Second:

A nefarious concoction sold by traveling salesmen with plenty

of medicinal promise with no bona fide consistency.

In the 1800‟s the development of bitters came about in two very different manners.

Viral Marketing: 1800’s Style

Guide to becoming a successful Snake-Oiler:

1.Invest about $7.00 to print a couple hundred flyers promoting

your “Miracle Cure-All”.

2.“Formulate” your elixir by mixing moonshine and a variety of

“medicinal herbs”.. i.e. anything you can get your hands on that

tastes awful.

3.Send scouts ahead to disperse flyers and start “buzz”. Spouting

testimonials, (you may need one previously blind „patient‟)

4. Roll into town selling to the desperate and the gullible for .50

cents a bottle.

5. Move on as quickly as possible, before the townsfolk realize they

have been duped.

6.Change the label and repeat…moving West.

7.Retire to California and open up a brothel.

By 1903, selling bitters as a medicinal remedy had become

outlawed. Because of the transient nature of the product there are

many “lost” recipes for American Bitters.... but who is to say they

are worth reviving?


Amaro: A More Developed History

•Bitters have a long and noble history in Europe

dating back at the very least to the medicinal

brews of medieval monasteries.

•Monks grew herbs, dried them and worked

them into special elixirs according to secret

recipes.

•European bitters are unique to the region where

the ingredients are grown and distilled. People

have a vested interest in the quality, care and

integrity that goes into the final product, unlike

the traveling sales man approach that occurred

in early America.

•Examples are: Averna, Amaro Nonino,

Ramazzottia and the “now- hip w mixologists”

Fernet-Branca (Fernet may contain: cardamom, saffron, codeine,

mushrooms, beets, cocoa, gentian)


Amaro: The more complex European counterpart to the American Bitters.

Amaro means “bitter” in Italian.


Distillation:

Using pot stills, the blend of

herbs are distilled with a base spirit to draw out as much flavor as possible.

Infusion: Most commonly herbs are

combined in a base alcohol and left to set. Often the more powerful ingredients are infused separately and added back to control the balance.

How Bitters Get Bitter


Non- Potable

• Not intended to be consumed

alone due to strong flavors and

high alcohol content. (usually

between 70 and 90 proof).

• Allows them to be sold in grocery

stores and on the internet and

really anyone can make and sell

them these days.

• Measured in dashes to round

out a drink.

Angostura, Peychaud's, Bitter

Truth and Regan's

Potable• Poured as a aperitif or digestif to

stimulate appetite or aid digestion.

• Can be consumed straight or mixed into cocktails.

• Sweetened to balance flavor, and more enjoyable flavor.

Fernet-Branca, Jägermeister, and Campari, Averna, Cynar

There are two types of bitters used in cocktails:

Potable vs. Non Potable

http://www.chow.com/tags/flavors

Trinidad Sour

• 1 oz Angostura Aromatic bitters

• 1 oz orgeat syrup

• 3/4 oz lemon juice

• 1/2 oz rye

Shake well with ice and fine

strain in to a cocktail glass.

A few drinks stand to contradict the theory that bitters can only be measured by the dash:

The Trinidad Special, the Trinidad Sour, and the

Stormy Mia Tia (calls for 1 1/2 oz of Angostura!)

Bartender Giuseppe Gonzalez of Clover Club

and Dutch Kills created this drink.

The drink was created by Giuseppe when he

and Damon Dyer of Flatiron Lounge were

playing around with the Trinidad Especial and

swapping out various ingredients for the pisco

(which is in the Especial). In the end they

chose rye.

Though this cocktail has a ton of bitters in it …

it is amazingly well balanced.

Bitters Heavy Drinks



Other Uses for BittersThough bitters can no longer be sold legally as health remedies, many people still turn to them for just that purpose. Here are a few of the more common (if unscientific) applications:

• HiccupsTake a lemon wedge, coat it in sugar, then douse it with some bitters. Bite down, and your hiccups are supposed to disappear.

• Upset StomachA few dashes of bitters added to a glass of club soda or ginger ale may cure indigestion… a hangover helper too!

• Mosquito Repellent?

Did you not know that this is the best mosquito repellent? It keeps away all the mosquitoes!

• Everything ElseIt is suggested that a few dashes will cure anything from a big hangover, a headache.. to the flu.

A Little Drop Will Do Ya

http://www.chow.com/tags/ginger

Angostura Bitters:

Possibly the most popular brand of bitters, Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert, a German doctor, in Angostura, Venezuela in 1824 created this secret blend of tropical herbs and plants with the intent of curing a variety of illnesses.

The brand is now produced in Trinidad and the blend is still a well-kept, but much appreciated secret. The oversized, awkward label has also become a trademark of the brand.

-Rum based, bittered by gentian, carries dominating flavors of cinnamon, clove, orange peel, and coffee.

Peychaud’s Bitters:

Antoine Peychaud was an apothecary in 1830's New Orleans who began his mixing career after hours in his pharmacy.

It was at that time that Peychaud mixed up his secret-recipe bitters with brandy and absinthe and created the first Sazerac, a cocktail that defined and influenced future cocktails.

- Neutral spirit, bittered with gentian and carries a light flavor of anise and cherry.

Fee Brothers Bitters:

Produced in Rochester New York since the 1950's. The bitters rose in popularity with the distinction of being one of the most diverse lines of bitters.

-Non Alcoholic: flavors include of celery, grapefruit, mint, peach, lemon, chocolate, old fashioned and whiskey barrel aged.

The Early Bitters


http://cocktails.about.com/od/s/r/szrc_cktl.htm

We learned about old the classic Angostura & Peychaud's..today there are bitters being

made by many companies enthusiasts. They range from classic to flavorful and fun.

Regan’s No.6 Bitters:

One of the newest bitters on the scene, Regan‟s Orange Bitters No. 6 is a shining star in the cocktail world. The idea was that of cocktail experts and authors Gary and Mardee Regan, who in the 1990's wanted a better orange bitters. The result is a versatile bitter of orange peel, cardamom, caraway, coriander and other herbs inspired by an old recipe

-Neutral spirit; exceptionally rich and carries the flavors of coriander, cardamom, and orange including orange peel

Bitterman’s Bitter Truth

The Bitter Truth was founded in 2006 by Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck out of the frustration of being unable to find quality cocktail bitters in the European market. Since then, The Bitter Truth has expanded its portfolio to include other flavorings, liqueurs and spirits.

-They offer various flavors from the Lost Celery Bitters to a rich Xocolatl Mole that exemplifies the subtle character of bitter chocolate.

Stirrings Blood Orange Bitters

A lighter style modern day bitters.

- Non alcoholic; mellower, a little sweeter with a nice blood orange color.

Hometown or Homemade

Many bars and bartenders are experimenting with their own blends and distributing locally. Like in the 1800‟s some are better than others.


New Century Bitters


The Bitter Challenge...

•

•

At each Person’s Setting:

bitters place mat

tasting glass of 1 oz bourbon

tasting glass of 1 oz vodka

bottle of chilled soda

bottle of chilled ginger ale

5 stir sticks

small tasting cup of each bitters:

Angostura

Peychaud's

Fee Brothers Old Fashioned

Gary Regan‟s Orange

Bitter Truth Mole

Kathy Casey Golden Era

On each Table:

ice bucket with ice and scoop

bottle of Angostura

bottle of Peychaud‟s

bottle of Fee Brothers Old

Fashioned

bottle of Liquid Kitchen Golden Era

tray of bitters aromatics w tags

40-50 extra plastic glasses

glass of pipettes

unique bitters


Bitters Flight:

Angostura Gary Regan‟s

Orange

Kathy Casey

Golden EraPeychaud's

Fee Brothers

Old

Fashioned

Bitter Truth

Mole

Soda Water Ginger

Ale

Vodka Bourbon

How to taste bitters:

•I like to clap a drop between my hands and smell it first.

•Then taste with soda water.

•Then experiment in bourbon and vodka, soda and ginger ale.



Craft Your Own Blend

There are as many methods as there are mixologists, but the most important thing is how the bitters perform in a cocktail.

Alcohol:

• Use spirits with a high alcohol content, choose between neutral, such as grain alcohol or vodka, or a base that will impart it‟s own flavors as well; such as rye or rum.

• Higher-proof alcohols extract flavor more quickly but can leave a harsh aftertaste.

Aromatics:

• Personalize your bitters and experiment, consider robust flavor profiles heavy in aromatics. Fruits, spices, chocolate nibs, coffee, herbs….

• We use bittering agents such as gentian, cinchona, angelica root and citrus peels with lots of pith!

• Use a scale! Measure carefully, bitter herbs are potent and a can overwhelm, it is important to have a concise recipe.

Aging and Agitating:

• Key steps in flavor development, more time is not always better.

– Aging (or steeping) helps extract flavor. Too little time and your bitters will be flat; too much and they‟ll be unbalanced.

– Agitating (giving the mixture a shake every now and then) ensures that flavors are dispersed throughout the mix, with no unexpected taste spikes

Straining and Storage:

• Strain slowly through multiple layers of cheese cloth for clarity and flavor.

• Store in glass and keep from sunlight or extreme heat to maintain flavor.

Let’s look at a tray of ingredients!


The resurgence of pre-Prohibition cocktail crafting inspired us to

concoct our own bitters blend, while staying true to the traditions

the creation is rooted in.

Our first Bitters: Golden Era - 98107 - Harvest

(rī)1 Number One Manhattan

Makes 1 cocktail

• 1 1/2 oz (rī)1 rye whiskey

• 3/4 oz St. Germain liqueur

• 3/4 oz Noilly Prat sweet red vermouth

• dash of Bitters

• Garnish: Orange Disk

In a pint mixing glass, measure in spirits, add bitters.

Fill glass 3/4 full of ice and stir swiftly for 20 seconds.

Strain into a martini glass. Spritz orange disk over

top of drink.


Let‟s Drink a Cocktail

• 24 grams ginger, fresh

• 150 grams fresh fruit

• 5 grams whole or cracked warm spices such as, star anise pods,

cinnamon etc

• 13.5 grams dried orange peel

• 3 grams coriander seeds, crushed

• 1.5 grams cardamom seeds, crushed

• 1.4 grams gentian root, dried pieces

• 0.5 grams powdered cinchona

• 0.35 grams Kosher salt

• schizandra berry

• 35 grams sliced lemon, grapefruit or orange peel

• 1 1/2 cups vodka or spiced rum


Spiced Citrus Bitters Template


The aromatics play just as much a role as

the bitter herbs…….

The „Flavor Pot‟ of herbs and spices

focuses on the bitter and aromatic

qualities each brings to the infusion.

Gentian, Cardamom, Anise, Schizandra

Berry, Orange Peel, Hibiscus, Fennel, Fir,

Citrus, Cinchona are a few of our selected

ingredients


To the .01 to be exact…..

We measured ingredients to the hundredth of a gram. To

extract the most of their natural essence, we toasted some

herbs, crushed others, before combining with the alcohol.


No trees were harmed in the making of these

bitters… 98107

Douglas fir has a sweet gin-like

aroma and a bitter flavor, making

it our inspiration for 98107

(Ballard‟s zip code).

We collected small samples from

trees in our backyard garden.

When taking bark from a tree, never cut

around the circumference; it will kill the tree.

Cut small oval samples as a tree‟s bark

heals by pulling the bark back around itself.


Burnt sugar adds its own bittersweet

element… to Golden Era


If color is any indication, we are on the right

track…. Marionberries, Douglas Fir ….

The color and texture

combinations are too

beautiful to ignore.


Bitters in the sun for a photo… it’s going to be

good!


The three mashes….

Each one has its own distinct colorful and textural charm.


Playing make-believe with heat and humidity…

We used our Rational oven to

simulate Deep South temperature

and humidity. The jars spend their

days in 80% humidity, and a balmy

89 degrees.


Straining the mash…


The beauty of bitters…

After they‟ve been strained and filtered, they‟re

bottled and enjoyed.


@KathyCaseyChef

Thank you…and remember – it’s

sometimes better to be bitter!

Check out Kathy’s Blog:

Dishing with Kathy Casey www.kathycasey.com/blog

Documents

© Kathy Casey Food Studios® - Liquid Kitchen ™ - IACP 2011kathycasey.com/.../KathyCasey-BettertobeBitterIACP.pdf · 2011-06-02 · Did you not know that this is the best mosquito