Bitters are a liquid extraction of seeds, herbs, bark, roots, flowers, leaves and the fruit of various plants dissolved in alcohol.
Many of us will only make contact with this great ingredient at the cocktail bar and even then it's not of great interest.
But little did you know that bitters have many other benefits apart from adding interest to your cocktail and brands like The House of Angostura been working hard to reveal those benefits.
Angostura bitters. Picture supplied
- Its a lesser known fact that bitters can also be used to add depth, flavour and spice to your dishes just as salt is vital to any recipe as a seasoning.
- Angostura aromatic bitters have been found to intensify the flavour of other ingredients. Non-alcoholic drinks become crisper and more refreshing with Bitters.
- It enhances the top notes of light cocktails without masking the true personality of the spirit and in other cocktails, it adds a subtle unique taste regardless of the spirits used. It soothes the acidity in citrus-based cocktails and adds depth to creamy creations. It mellows out the aged notes in heavy rums, smoothes dried aged whiskies, matures a Manhattan, rounds off the taste in beer and marries well with pink gin and vermouth.
- Bitters are believed by many to aid digestive health in a number of ways. It is said to cleanse the palate, balance appetite, curb sugar cravings, help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, encourage digestive enzymes, soothe gas and bloating, calm upset stomachs and nausea, and relieve occasional heartburn.