The British Tricked You....Again.

The 1860 Edition. 

The husband has been developing an interest in classic cocktails for the last few years, so I decided to buy him this awesome book last year as a part of his Christmas gift. It is the first bartenders guide from the late 19th century and I would say it's the coolest gift a husband ever got. There are tons of recipes to try and some do involve fire, but we decided that bitters would be a fun place to start.

Grapefruit Bitters.

As an herbalist, I noted that each of the ingredients were really potent medicine. A variety of recipes exist, but with ingredients like cinnamon, orange peels, cloves, and ginger, I started to think digestion immediately. Turns out, so did the Brits when bitters were officially introduced to the Royal Navy in the mid 19th century. Back then, lots of other potent herbs were included regularly and it was purported to cure a myriad of maladies, but most importantly, it cured sea sickness.

What happened next is uncertain: Did a group of men alone at sea determine that bitters needed alcohol? Did the alcohol available need bitters? All we know is that a similar act of trickery to the one that got the whole world believing tonic water was a tasty treat for cocktails rather than a prophylactic against malaria took place. And then, suddenly, bitters were trendy.

Make your own at home to ensure your drinks have a little medicinal kick!

1. Smush four or five grapefruit skins into a quart jar. This will take some effort. 
2. Toss in a handful of cinnamon sticks, a dozen or so cloves, some cardamom, and some ginger coins. 
3. Cover in vodka. 
4. Place in a cool dark place, shaking as often as you remember it. 
5. In 6 weeks, strain and have an Old Fashioned. Looking forward to it!