How do you get to bitters for turkey day? 
Well, Guido Massé taught a class called “Bitters” recently sponsored by the Herbal Community of Central Massachusetts and Tower Hill Botanical Gardens. We tried and made different bitter combinations, while Guido a clinical herbalist shared the history and health benefits of traditional bitter drinks. The class based on his book DIY Bitters was really fun and tasty.
Among the many samples we tasted wintergreen, grapefruit orange and cacao: complex flavors to stimulate conversations and questions. Guido picked the wintergreen early the morning of the talk and extracted the leaves in vodka, to make an on the spot example. This hands- on workshop opened my eyes to the value of bitters as an appetizer.
Bitters for Turkey Day might Just Work
Bitter is an important complex taste that you might want to get to know. Ayurveda teaches a balance of the six tastes supports healthy digestion. The six tastes are sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter and astringent. The tastes each bring specific help and support to the body. Bitter is a somewhat neglected flavor in the American palette, so sometimes it takes effort to bring it into your meals on a regular basis.
Bitter flavor can be an acquired taste. Start slow. Greens like kale and collards are a great way to bring bitter to the table, but you can add bitters in a cocktail alcoholic or non alcoholic. It is very quick and simple to add a splash of bitters to your aperitif.
Sometimes people will drink things they won’t eat. Totally worth a try to sneak in some health benefits at Thanksgiving Dinner. Generally Thanksgiving is more about tradition and taste than health, so every little bit helps. Add bitters at the start of the meal, make everything that follows all the sweeter.
I went all in and offered bitters for Turkey day. To keep it simple I just added a splash of bitters to some nice sparkling mineral water as an alternative to wine. It went over pretty well. About 1/2 the people gave it a try and liked it.
If you want to try this add bitters in a drink or cocktail before or after any meal. Buy or make one for yourself. Here are some of the specific ways bitter flavor can help digestion and enjoyment.
Add Bitter Taste for Big Benefits
- Bitters stimulate digestive enzyme and HCl production.
- Modulate Appetite
- Balance rich sweet holiday food.
- Soothe gas, bloating and heartburn
For more information of Guido Massé and the use of bitters in food and drink click this link.
The information provided in this blog is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment or advice. All the material here is for information purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.