Botany at the Bar: The Art and Science of Making Bitters

by Selena Ahmed, Ashley Duval, Rachel Meyer

Overview

A guidebook to everything bitters—the history, science, and plants behind them—with 75 botanical recipes.

Not only are bitters the backbone to every great cocktail, these plant-packed elixirs have long been used to support health and well-being, add flavor, and stimulate the senses. Take a trip around the world with ingredients like saffron, grapefruit, hibiscus, and lemongrass and then bring them home to your kitchen. Be your own alchemist and mixologist, with recipes for creating bitters, syrups, shrubs, and cocktails. With these unique flavor combinations of spices, roots, fruits, and flowers, your drinks will never be the same.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781611804980
Publisher:	Shambhala
Publication date:	07/02/2019
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

RACHEL MEYER, PhD, is an evolutionary biologist and molecular ecologist working across the University of California to understand biodiversity. Her research is on oaks, eggplant, African rice, ancient humanlandscape interactions, and citizen science.

ASHLEY DUVAL, MESC,  works as a consultant on genetic resources for food and agriculture industry. Her research focuses on the breeding and domestication of tropical perennial crops including acai and cacao.

SELENA AHMED, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Sustainable Food Systems at Montana State University examining the ecological, cultural, and health aspects of food systems with expertise in tea agro-forests of China.

Table of Contents

Introduction 6

Chapter 1 A Short History of Bitters 10

Chapter 2 Bitters and the Planet 24

Chapter 3 A Matter of Taste 36

Chapter 4 How to Make Bitters 48

Chapter 5 Bitters at the Bar 70

Chapter 6 The Plant Directory 134

Making Your Own Extractions 162

Using a Sonicator 165

Blending Flavors: Pairing and Flavor Matching 166

Resources 167

Glossary 168

Index 170

Acknowledgments 176