National Culinary Review

Greg Best is co-owner/barkeep at Atlanta’s Holeman & Finch;Public;House;and;a;partner;in;H&F;Bottle;Shop,;a;retail outlet. He’s given up making bitters because there are so many options available for purchase. Each one, he notes, has something distinctive about it, and he praises their ability to knit together or emphasize;the;other;flavors;in;a;cocktail.

“I;consider;the;Sazerac;the;most;perfect;expression;of;what bitters;can;do,”;says;Best.;“When;training;bartenders,;this cocktail is my reference point. I make it without any bitters, with too;little,;too;much;and;just;the;right;amount.;It’s;a;beautiful;way to;demonstrate;bitters’;amazing;effect;when;used;properly;in;the correct;proportions.”

YIELD: 20 OZ. (APPROXIMATELY)

ORANGE BITTERS Zest of 3 oranges, cut in strips ¼ cup chopped dried orange peel 4 cloves

1. Put orange zest, orange peel, cloves, cardamom, coriander, gentian and allspice in quart-size Mason jar or other large glass container with lid. Pour in 2 cups vodka, adding more, if necessary, to cover ingredients. Seal jar; store at room temperature out of direct sunlight for two weeks, shaking jar once a day.

2. After two weeks, strain liquid through cheesecloth-lined funnel into clean quart-size jar to remove solids. Repeat until all sediment has been filtered out. Squeeze cheesecloth over jar to release any excess liquid; transfer solids to small saucepan. Cover jar; set aside.

3. Cover solids in saucepan with water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover saucepan; lower heat, simmer 10 minutes.

4. Remove saucepan from heat; let cool completely. Once cooled, add contents of saucepan (liquid and solids) to another quart-size Mason jar. Cover jar; store at room temperature out of direct sunlight for one week, shaking jar daily.

5. After one week, strain jar with liquid and solids through cheesecloth-lined funnel into clean quart-size Mason jar. Repeat until all sediment has been filtered out. Discard solids. Add this liquid to jar containing original vodka solution. Add rich syrup to solution; stir to incorporate. Cover; shake jar to fully dissolve.

6. Allow mixture to stand at room temperature for three days. After three days, skim off any debris that floats to surface. Pour mixture through cheesecloth-lined funnel one last time to remove any solids. Using funnel, decant bitters into smaller jars; label. If sediment is left in bottles or if liquid is cloudy, shake bottle before using. The bitters will last indefinitely; for optimum flavor, use within a year.

The book includes recipes for making various flavors of bitters, cocktails and dishes with bitters; lists of bitters makers; ingredient sources; and helpful books and websites.