T. Higgs Original Handmade Orange Bitters

Back in 2008 we were lucky to have a new neighbor move into the house next door.  Truman Higgins was a furry fluff ball with energy to burn.  He quickly became a regular in the Carondelet Kitchen and was welcomed as a member of our family here in South St. Louis.  When his family moved away, we were again lucky enough to be puppy-sitters for my buddy Truman.  I always said we got old together!  He’s quite a bit older now and not quite the spry puppy he once was but he’s still my buddy and adds spice to our lives just like the bitters that bear his name.

Isn’t it a little odd to think that as recently as 2004 there were only three commercial brands of bitters available in the United States?  Recently, with the rise of celebrity mixologists and the availability of the internet to inspire chefs and amateurs alike, handmade bitters are now available in a variety of tastes.

Bitters are simply a flavoring for cocktails made from infusing roots, barks, fruit peels seeds, spices, herbs, flowers, and botanicals into high proof alcohol.  I like to think of it this way:  bitters are liquid seasoning for drinks.  Think salt and pepper for food and you get the idea.

Our combination of bitter orange peel and several herbs and spices all macerated in alcohol works well with a variety of spirits, from Whisk(e)y and Rum to Vodka and Gin.  Think of it as the perfect complement to bring balance to any cocktail.  You can use bitters to balance a sweet drink and bring unity to the ingredients used in your cocktail as well as giving it an aromatic spiciness.

You can easily go out and buy a bottle of bitters but how easy is it to make your own at home and mix it into your own Manhattan or Old Fashioned? 
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Ingredients:

• 4 oranges (peels only)
• 1 orange (zest only)
• 2 teaspoons gentian root
• 3 cups 101-proof Maker’s Mark bourbon
• 6 sticks of cinnamon
• 12 cloves
• 4 Star Anise pods

Directions:
 

1. Slice the outside peel of the oranges using a vegetable peeler and place the peels onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray to keep the peels from sticking. Bake at 225 degrees until dried but not burned, about 40 minutes. Check regularly to ensure peels have not burned.
2. Zest one orange and retain the zests (Enjoy the orange!)
3. Once the peels have cooled, place them and the zest of one orange in a sealable glass jar with 1 cup of the 101-proof Maker’s Mark Bourbon. Be sure this jar is large enough to later hold an additional 1 cup of liquid. Shake. This is your orange base.
4. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise, and anise seed in a different sealable glass jar with 1 cup of the 101-proof Maker’s Mark Bourbon. Shake. This is your spice base.
5. Place the gentian root in a sealable glass jar with 1 cup of the 101-proof Maker’s Mark Bourbon. Shake. This is your bitter base.
6. After 10 days, strain the spice base through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the solids. I like to strain again through a coffee filter to be sure and remove all the leftover solids.  Now pour this mixture into your orange base but do not remove the orange zest. Shake. You now have one jar that contains the strained spice base and the orange base.  You let this jar sit for 10 days.  While not disturbing your jar of bitter base.
7. Strain out the mix of orange base and spice base through a fine mesh sieve and repeat the process of filtering through a coffee filter.  Now add into this mixture the bitter base.  All three bases should now be combined.  You will store again for 10 days.
8. Now you can strain one more time through a coffee filter and then you can bottle your bitters.   We use a bottle readily available from amazon.com.

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