Bitters in New Orleans

I don't know how many of you know, that the cocktail is claimed to have been first created in New Orleans. Well a creole apothecary, Antoine Peychaud mixed a cocktail with his bitters in the 1800's and created history. There is even a Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans. Ever since his concoction, Peychauds bitters has been famous throughout the United States and certainly best known in New Orleans. The cocktail that is most famous in that area is the Sazerac. In fact, in 2008, this cocktail was named the official cocktail of New Orleans. Visit this site for more on the cocktail's history - GumboPages.com

I am very proud to say that Angostura aromatic bitters is also included. Here is the recipe.

1/2 teaspoon absinthe, or Herbsaint (a New Orleans brand of anise liqueur)
1 teaspoon of simple syrup (or 1 sugar cube or 1 teaspoon of gran. sugar)
4 dashes Peychaud's bitters
1 small dash, of Angostura bitters (extremely optional; some feel it helps open the flavors).
2 ounces rye whiskey.
Strip of lemon peel

The traditional method: Pack a 3-1/2 ounce Old Fashioned (rocks) glass with ice. In another Old Fashioned glass, moisten the sugar cube with just enough water to saturate it, then crush. Blend with the whiskey and bitters. Add a few cubes of ice and stir to chill. Discard the ice from the first glass and pour in the Herbsaint. Coat the inside of the entire glass, pouring out the excess. Strain the whiskey into the Herbsaint coated glass. Twist the lemon peel over the glass so that the lemon oil cascades into the drink, then rub the peel over the rim of the glass; do not put the twist in the drink. Or, as Stanley Clisby Arthur says, "Do not commit the sacrilege of dropping the peel into the drink."

A team from Angsotura will be visiting New Orleans for the biggest cocktail event ever, the Tales of Cocktails from July 20 - 25. We are going to make our presence felt.

Orange Bitters in Scrambled Eggs

Have you ever put Angostura bitters in scrambled eggs? What about Orange bitters? Well a colleague of mine mentioned to me that she puts a dash or two of Orange bitters in her scrambled eggs and it is to die for. Her kids love it, where before, they found it bland. There are so many stories of people using bitters and orange bitters in different unique ways.

One person put the Orange bitters in their choco-coffee - a combination of chocolate mix and coffee. I tried it recently and oh what an aroma, what a great rich taste. Another told me about using the aromatic bitters in milk with a shot of rum......can you imagine; Rum, milk and bitters? Well I am certainly going to try that one out pronto.

There are many interesting ways of using these unique products, I recommend that you start trying them in your everyday cooking and see what you get out of it. You may be surprised, some wonderful recipes can be created. Share them with us here on the bitters blog.