Amaro and Angostura bitters were originally developed as medicine, but are now used as alcoholic beverages and ingredients in cooking and cocktails. Angostura bitters were created by German physician Johann Siegert to treat fevers and stomach problems during the Venezuelan revolution, and the recipe remains a secret. They are commonly used in cocktails and to flavor Caribbean dishes.
While amaro was originally developed to be a medicine, today amaro is an alcoholic beverage that people typically drink as a digestif to help the body digest foods after a meal or as an additive to flavor other alcoholic beverages. Angostura bitters were developed as a drug to treat hiccups and digestive problems, but today, they are more often used as an ingredient in baking and cooking or as an ingredient in other alcoholic beverages. The recipe for Angostura bitters continues to be one of the most closely guarded trade secrets in the world.
In 1820, German physician Johann Siegert moved to Venezuela in hopes of helping Simon Bolivar overthrow the South American country’s Spanish rulers. While developing a tonic wasn’t Dr. Siegert’s primary motivation for moving to Venezuela, he was concerned about the number of people who had severe fevers and stomach problems. These medical problems were having a negative impact on the revolution as many soldiers fell ill. In 1824, Dr. Siegert developed his “Amargo Aromatico” from tropical plants and herbs that he had located. The bitters were successful enough that the product began being exported to England and Trinidad in the 1830s.
Politics in Venezuela continued to be problematic. As a result, Dr. Siegert eventually moved the production of Angostura bitters to Trinidad, where these bitters continue to be produced today. In addition to Angostura bitters, the house of Angostura is known for its rum.
Bitters can contain ingredients such as quinine, angostura bark, yarrow flowers, cassia and orange peel. Although the same Angostura amaro recipe developed by Dr. Siegert is still in use and continues to be a secret, it is thought that at least 40 ingredients are used to make the liqueur. Some of the ingredients known to be in Angostura include gentian root, cassia and cinchona bark. Angostura bitters also have an alcohol content of nearly 45 percent.
Angostura bitters can be used in a variety of recipes from the beginning of a meal to the last bite eaten. This bitter works especially well with poultry. Bitters are often used in dessert puddings. People also use Angostura bitters to flavor Caribbean dishes.
People generally don’t drink Angostura by itself. Angostura bitters are most often an ingredient in other alcoholic beverages. Rob Roys, Manhattan Drys, Champagne Cocktails and Old Fashioneds are among the drinks that can include Angostura. Other drinks that use bitters include the Original Singapore Harness, the Moulin Rouge, and the Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker.
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