Bitters in the mix
Published:Thursday | February 21, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Made from a secret recipe since 1824, world-famous Angostura Aromatic Bitters is considered the quintessential and definitive ingredient for classic and contemporary cocktails worldwide.
Its versatility, however, stretches way beyond the bar counter as it serves as a unique flavour enhancer, with the ability to marry flavours in the preparation of all food dishes, including desserts.
There are approximately 53 dashes in every 100ml bottle and each dash contains 1.8 mil of liquid. Cookbooks will recommend the number of dashes per recipe.
A staple in Trinidad and Tobago and the Eastern Caribbean, this product is used as a food additive to 'spice up' any dish, and its versatility was tested and proven at the recent Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge in soca city.
Hosts to over 90 guests from various countries across the globe, Angostura executives, led by Giselle Laronde West, senior manager - public affairs and communications, and their hospitality team pulled together a delectable Angostura-plated luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain.
Hotel chef Jason Heath and bartender Janie Stephenson gave lessons on how to infuse Angostura into food. Together they created a three-course meal using the bitters in salad, entree and dessert. Each segment was paired with an Angostura-dashed cocktail.
The Menu
Canapé paired with The Rutherford
Bake brie cheese in a phillo cup drizzled with Angostura Bitters
Salad paired with Empirical Rum Punch
Artisan garden salad and rolled in a cucumber leaf with coconut, corn and bodi salsa, drizzled with an Angostura Bitters reduction and Angostura orange bitters vinaigrette
Entree paired with Calypso Cooler
Angostura Bitters infused herb crusted red snapper with a passion fruit burre blanc
Hyatt Signature - Angostura marinated barbecue lamb rack served with dou of candid sweet potato and plantain mash finished with garden vegetables tossed in a sweet Angostura Bitter glaze.
Dessert paired with Rum Lovers Pavlova
Infusion of Angostura Bitters with guava cheesecake and mango creme brullee.
Recipes
The Rutherford
50 ml Angostura 1919
10 ml spiced vermouth
10 mil apricot brandy
5 mil acacia honey
8 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
Stir briskly and serve in a chilled coupette
Garnish with a halved maraschino cherry.
Empirical Rum Punch
40 ml Angostura 1919
15 ml Clayton's Kola tonic
15 ml hibiscus syrup
60 ml green tea
10 ml lemon juice
10 ml lime juice
2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
Stir ingredients together with ice and serve in a large tumbler filled with cubed ice.
Garnish with a lemon and lime slice and a mint leaf.
Calypso Cooler
35 ml Angostura 1919
20 mil banana liqueur
20 mil lemon juice
2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
Solo cream soda
10 mil nutmeg syrup
Shake all ingredients except cream soda and strain into a highball glass filled with cubed ice.
Add the cream soda and stir gently.
Garnish with a slice of banana.
Rum Lovers Pavlova
50 mil Angostura 1919
20 mil lime juice
15 mil mango puree
10 mil Passion Fruit Syrup
Shake well and strain into a large martini glass. Add foam and brown with a cook's torch. Garnish with passion fruit seeds.