So I think I’m due a good ole’ alcohol post. After all, I work with the stuff every day, day in and day out. Vodka, Tequila, Bourbon, you name it. You may think sipping and concocting for a living is great, but believe me, taste tasting Tequila at 8AM on a Monday is not always as grandiose as it seems… But that’s neither here nor there. What is here, however, is BITTER. And along with many other things of course, but bitter is v in right now (kinda like using 1-letter abbreviations for words). Fancy vermouths and aperitifs are not just for Europeans any more but have found their way here in the U.S. onto the menus of your local cocktail bars and into your drinks. And as a consequence to this increase in bitter components within our food and drinks, the average American palate is warming up to the herbaceous, intriguing world of all things bitter (Hello, cold brew). And I’m not just talking about the bitters you add into your Old Fashioned with the medicine dropper (although this is further testament) but I’m talking about the resurgence of century-old “tinctures”, if-you-will, in brands like Campari, Cynar, and the like.
There’s many reasons to experiment with incorporating more bitter “mixers” into your cocktails. And they include but are not limited to:
There are so many new, interesting flavor combinations to experience with this category. You'll likely be engaging taste receptors that may normally lie dormant--quite the ride for your taste buds!
Just in watching your average enamel-saving toothpaste commercial on TV, you will be informed that much of our American diet is acidic--meaning the pH is low. And guess what the pH level of our stomach is? You guessed it: low. (Our stomachs have to maintain a low pH or else they wouldn’t be a suitable environment for the acids necessary to digest our food.) That's a lot of acid. Because of this, it stands to reason how some research points to the benefits of incorporating more basic (not wg basic, we’re talking pH here) foods/drinks into our diets. Of course, alcohol at the end of the day will always be alcohol and with that are many non-health-haloing effects, BUT, if there is a category that successfully skirts that line between health and vice, it’s definitely bitters. Many of these bitter liqueurs have a higher pH and let’s be honest, it’s a welcome change to a world that’s traditionally been saturated with sweetness and sourness.
The main way these liqueurs or amaros are made is by, quite literally, steeping botanicals, herbs, etc. into the alcohol. Side note...you can quickly and easily make your own bitters at home!
These liqueurs contain herbs and botanicals that, themselves, contain century-old tried and true health claims.
You'll look cool. The end.
Because coming around to actually liking bitter things can be difficult for some and impossible for others, there’s a rule I’ve become familiar with (through Negronis-classic bitter cocktail) but that I think can be applied here as well. The rule is called the “Rule of Three” and it is this: if you don’t like it the first time, try it at least two more times before you decide that you definitely don’t like it. You may just come around to it!
With that, I’ve been totally into Boulevardiers lately. To me, it’s a cocktail that’s not overly-bitter and plus it’s got Bourbon in there to soften the punch. Traditionally, it’s made with Sweet Vermouth, Whiskey, and Campari garnished with an orange twist. DELICIOUS. However, lately, I’ve been infusing Lavender into this classic beauty and the floral/spiciness it adds is a nice touch. If you’re looking for something different, check it out--traditional or not--and let me know what you think!
GATHER:
-1oz. Sweet Vermouth
-1oz. Campari
-1oz. Bourbon (You can swap for Rye Whiskey but I would suggest not doing so--the lavender supplies a spiciness of its own that may compete with the spiciness of the Rye)
INFUSE:
Measure ½ tsp. edible lavender and place into 1 oz. of Bourbon. The alcohol will extract the oils from the lavender.
(Fun Fact: Out of the three alcohols that go into this cocktail, I’m suggesting you use the Bourbon for the extraction because it has the highest alcohol content of the three which will allow for a greater extraction of the lavender oils and consequently the most robust flavor.)
2. Let sit for 15 minutes. Strain Bourbon into cocktail glass, combining with other two ingredients. You can add with or without ice or in a chilled cocktail glass.
3. Add a squeeze of Orange and stir. Garnish with an orange peel. Enjoy!
Best,
Shay
Yorumlar