BITTER COCKTAILS WE’RE SWEET ON


 

Bitterness as a flavor in cocktails has exploded in popularity. It can be achieved by using bitters—tinctures of herbs, spices, and botanicals that get their puckery bite from natural ingredients like gentian root, cassia bark, wormwood, or dandelion—or from amaro or bitter liqueurs like Campari and Aperol.

Since many of the herbs used in these blends are believed to aid digestion, bitters-forward cocktails can be soothing after a rich meal. Their flavors are also a good way to offset the sweetness of a dessert tray. We love to serve a round of Torontos with chocolate cake or a Jungle Bird with carrot cake.

 

Negroni (page 91)

Paper Plane (page 165)

Toronto (page 117)

Americano (page 33)

Boulevardier (page 88)

Jungle Bird (page 192)