Even more than cooking, the art of cocktail making has an air of alchemy about it. Creating tinctures, shrubs, and bitters for cocktails feels a bit like making magic potions, especially since many of them have medicinal properties. When time itself is an ingredient, you can watch infusions transform before your very eyes.
One of the essential components of a balanced cocktail is a bitter element. To quote Mark Bitterman from this Epicurious article, “bitters are to cocktails as salt is to food.” Not only do they bring their own flavors to a drink, they pull together and accentuate the other ingredients. A good bitter will add depth, complexity, and a lingering finish to your cocktail.
This recipe comes from Frankie Solarik, owner of BarChef in Toronto, and one of the most inventive mixologists in the game. The process of making your own bitters is incredibly simple; the hardest part is being patient while the herbs and spices mingle with the liquor. Here, gin is infused with chamomile, licorice, fennel, and cardamom, resulting in a powerful yet harmonious digestif. The perfumed, floral nature of chamomile make these bitters a great addition to gin drinks. Fennel and apple undertones make them a natural compliment to bourbon and rye. Homemade bitters last indefinitely, and make a special gift for the cocktail-lovers in your life.
Chamomile and Fennel Bitters
from The Bar Chef: A Modern Approach to Cocktails
Makes about 25 oz (740 mL)
Ingredients
750 mL London dry gin
17 g dried organic chamomile flowers
1 5-inch piece of dried licorice root
10 g whole green cardamom pods
15 g fennel seeds
1. In a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine chamomile, licorice root, cardamom pods, and fennel seeds and top with gin. Seal tightly and shake to mix well. Set aside at room temperature, away from sunlight, for 3 months to allow the flavors to thoroughly infuse the gin. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or a coffee filter. Will keep indefinitely.
Chamomile Julep
from The Bar Chef: A Modern Approach to Cocktails
makes 1 serving
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz bourbon
1 1/4 oz chamomile syrup (recipe below)
1/4 oz chamomile and fennel bitters
1 sprig fresh mint, to garnish
1. In a shaker, combine bourbon, chamomile syrup, and bitters. Add ice and stir to chill. Strain into a copper or pewter julep glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with mint.
Chamomile Syrup
makes about 1 pint
Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
8 grams dried organic chamomile flowers
1. In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, and chamomile flowers. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, until sugar has completely dissolved and syrup has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and steep for 20 minutes. Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain the syrup and set aside to cool to room temperature. Transfer to airtight container. This will keep for up to 1 week, refrigerated.
