Angostura Bitters

document.getElementById("NoProductImage").innerHTML = ""; Angostura bitters- often simply referred to as angostura- is a concentrated bitters for food and beverages made of herbs and spices by House of Angostura in the country of Trinidad and Tobago. The recipe was developed as a tonic by German Dr. Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert- a Surgeon General in Simon Bolivar's army in Venezuela- who began to sell it in 1824. Siegert was based in Ciudad Bolívar which was then known as Angostura- and used locally available ingredients. Perhaps he drew on the botanical read more...knowledge of the local Amerindians- although the single ingredient named on the label is gentian. The exact formula is a closely guarded secret- with only five people knowing the whole recipe. As Angostura bitters are extremely concentrated- they are not normally drunk purely- but used to flavour drinks and food usually only a few drops or dashes are used. Angostura bitters are a key ingredient in many cocktails. Originally used to mask the flavour of quinine in tonic water along with gin- the mix stuck in the form of a Pink Gin- and is also used in many other alcoholic cocktails such as "Long Vodka"- consisting of vodka- Angostura bitter- and lemonade- and the Manhattan- made with whiskey and sweet (Italian) vermouth. In a Pisco Sour a few drops are sprinkled on top- mostly for decorative purposes. It is also the key ingredient in a Rum Cannonball. Bitters can also be used in soft drinks - a common non-alcoholic drink served in Australian pubs is lemon- lime & bitters. An approximation of ginger ale (as a drink mixer) can be made by filling a glass- almost to the top- with lemon-lime soda- adding a splash or two of cola- and then adding a couple dashes of Angostura bitters. Angostura bitters are renowned for having restorative properties. It was reported to be a remedy for hiccups- and also can be used as a cure for an upset stomach. Across many Caribbean nations- they are regarded as a necessary addition to any household medicine cabinet. Folklore claims the bitters have raised people from near-death or even flat-line states. Many Caribbean islanders and Venezuelans extol the bitters' medicinal use as a cure-all for conditions ranging from headaches and abdominal pain to diarrhea and influenza. Wikipedia    (hide)

October 2008