FOOD NEWS
Try Bitters And Soda For A Smooth Drink When You Don't Really Desire A Cocktail
BY SIMONE GERBER
If you want a fun drink, but don’t want to consume a lot of alcohol nor whip up a complicated mocktail, try mixing bitters and soda for a strong yet smooth sipper.
Bitters, a type of culinary tincture mainly used in cocktails, are made by steeping fruit, herbs, and other botanicals in a high-proof, neutral alcohol to infuse it with flavor.
Due to their strength, only a small amount of bitters is required to flavor a soda, so the flavor of your drink will be bold while the alcohol content will be low to negligible.
Popular bitters include Angostura (warm and spicy bitters with notes of clove and cinnamon), citrusy orange bitters, and Peychaud's (mildly sweet with notes of cherry).
For the simplest version of this combo, add a few dashes of bitters to a glass of plain soda water and stir. A dash is about a ⅛ teaspoon, and you should add extra dashes slowly.
For a bolder flavor, choose a flavored soda instead. Try pairing cola and Angostura, cream soda and orange bitters, or even a Peychaud's lemon-lime soda.