Angostura Explained

Angostura bitters are old, really old. Dating back to 1824, the original recipe was developed by a German doctor who was living in Angostura, Venezuela and working as Surgeon General in Simon Bolivar's army. What slowly started as a medicinal concoction eventually made its way into food and drink. The centuries- old recipe is made today in Trinidad and Tobago. So why name a blog after Angosturo bitters? Well, for starters I just like the name. And how often do you use a product from Trinidad and Tobago? How often do you even think about that little country, other than every four years during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics? My sister, purveyor of all important information, was the first to introduce me to bitters when she shared her love for champagne cocktails. Upon tasting the sparkling concoction, I understood what the big deal was about this dark, medicinal liquid. Angostura bitters impart that special flavor that words cannot describe, and this lack of true definition is exactly what makes them so special. Muddy waters, indeed. I've always been drawn to people and things that don't easily fit into stereotypical boxes. And so I name my blog after a funky little bottle with an oversized label.

 My friend Kelly asked a question last weekend that I am still pondering. If I could go back in time, take back a decision made and re-work it, what would I change? At the time I though maybe I should have continued to lead bike trips (dating back half of my fifty years), which would have allowed me to do some incredible travelling. But the more I think about this question, the more I realize that with the bitter disappointments in life come the sweet moments that always put a smile on our faces, even when we think of them years later. I wouldn't trade those for anything. If I had veered off on a different course earlier in my life, it, too, would have produced the bitter and the sweet. There aren't always neat little adjectives to describe our motives and help us understand why we do what we do.  So in honor of all things bitter and sweet, all the decisions, good and bad, that help define who we are, here's a wonderful drink that is bound to help you remember those moments in life that  put a smile on your face. Skol!

Champagne Cocktail

Sugar cube

2 dashes of Angostura bitters
1 dash of Angostura orange bitters
3 to 4 ounces of champagne

Place the sugar cube in a champagne glass, add the dashes of bitters, and then pour the champagne. A perfect drink for the holidays or for someone celebrating her 50th birthday.