Thank Goodness for Bitters!

Linda Bittle

I just got home from my first Thanksgiving dinner (church potluck) of the week. Going to a great little Amish place on Tuesday with Mom and my sister and her fellow for a traditional turkey feast. There are at least 3 more this week that I could go to, but I'll probably be sensible and stay home.

Thank goodness I know about - and have - bitters!

Happy Thanksgiving week to all who celebrate it!

Torey

Bitters are certainly something to be thankful for after some of the large meals that come with this time of year.

I think I have said this several times before in different discussions. I LOVE BITTERS!

JennyT Upstate South Carolina

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/848865/thank-goodness-for-bitters

How are you taking these bitters,@Linda Bittle?

Do you take them in tincture form beforehand? Or as a mocktail? I'm wanting to know as I prepare myself for several "feasts" I'll be attending all throughout this week. Thank way I can make sure to have everything on hand and take some as well.

Linda Bittle

@JennyT Upstate South Carolina

@Judson Carroll is our go-to for info about bitters! I have a bottle that I purchased from Urban Moonshine, but you can make your own. It's too late to start a batch for this week, but you could have some by the Christmas holidays.

I can find Angostura bitters at the grocery store, for making cocktails. You can also add a bit of bitter greens to your meals. Dandelion greens are nice if you can get them, but there are some you can find at the store.

What Are Bitter Greens? ♥ Vegetables 101 (aveggieventure.com)

Southern Appalachian Herbal Podcast Episode 3, All About Bitters — The Grow Network Community

Torey

@judsoncarroll4 just did an interview with Sarah Donaghue and part of the discussion was about bitters. Well worth a listen to. https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/848866/show-108-thanksgiving-recipes-and-an-interview-with-sarah-donaghue-of-alchemilla-apothecary#latest

@JennyT Upstate South Carolina If you want a quick bitters recipe, you could try a vinegar base instead of alcohol. They are usually ready in 1-2 weeks. Rosalee de la Foret has a recipe using strawberries and a pinch of honey to sweeten it up a bit. So its an easy introduction to bitters for those who may not like anything too bitter to start with. And more child friendly for those little ones who may have overindulged in goodies. Makes a good salad dressing base, too. I just used straight ACV in mine without the balsamic.

https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/digestive-bitters.html

You should be able to find a pretty good selection of bitters at any good liquor or wine shop. Also in the mix section of a grocery store, but they generally will only have one or two kinds, usually Angostura. Most health food stores will have a selection of digestive bitters.

judsoncarroll4

Thanks for the mention @torey Oddly, I didn't get a notification and just saw this discussion - must be another bug int he system. @JennyT Upstate South Carolina even if you can't find cocktail bitters and don't have time to make any, "potlikker" is out Southern standard. That is just the broth from collards, mustard or turnip greens. My grandparents and great grandparents swore by it! Alos, if you can spot some Oregon Grape, the root works for a bitter tea just as well as a tincture.

Torey

I agree @judsoncarroll4 about the bug in the system. I missed getting notifications for several discussions last week but it seems to be working now.

@JennyT Upstate South Carolina Your comments on mocktails sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole and I found this site that has recipes from Angostura.

https://chilledmagazine.com/4-must-mix-mocktails-from-angostura/

I knew Angostura made an orange one but this is the first I have heard of cocoa bitters. I made a coffee bitters awhile ago with cocoa nibs in it. Very good.

Then I found a selection of food recipes incorporating Angostura. Some of them look pretty spectacular. The idea of orange bitters in pumpkin pie; genius!

https://angosturabitters.com/food-recipes/

Michelle D

@Linda Bittle thanks for the reminder about bitters. I have some and often forget about them. I definitely need to be using the regularly this week!

JennyT Upstate South Carolina

Thank you all for your responses, @Linda Bittle, @torey and @judsoncarroll4 .

I'll head to the store to get some Angostura bitters when we get to where we're staying.

The recipes you mentioned on the Angostura site, @torey, sound amazing. I'll have to check out the site once we're not traveling and I have a decent connection. 😁

JennyT Upstate South Carolina

@torey I checked out the links and some of those recipes sound downright amazing!

In fact that "ginger orange spritzer" sounds like that could become a permanent resident in my repertoire so I can have it handy when we're done with renovations o our house and can start hosting get-togethers once again.

And the food recipes looked like some I may have to give a try closer to Christmas this year. Thanks again for sharing the links.😁