Original post 30 Dec 2013
The French are well known for their rich and decadent foods. They aren't afraid to use creams and butter amidst fatty meats like lardon and starchy vegetables like potatoes. Many of the specialty dishes of the Alps, where my husband is from, boast exceptionally rich and heavy foods. The French also have a long history of using bitter before and after dinner drinks (aperitif and digestif) to stimulate digestion. The day I met my father in law for the first time he drove us to various bars to taste the various local bitter digestifs. Some of these have grown quite famous such as Chartreuse or the infamous Absinthe. You can make your own bitter drinks quite easily. From using one ingredient preparations like gentian to more elaborate formulas involving many different herbs. I like to experiment with bitters. I've made some solely from the plants that grow locally to me, and others in the spirit of France. These types of drinks are of course, decidedly bitter. But the best ones have a variety of different tastes. Besides bitters, many of these preparations include -warming carminative herbs like angelica or fennel -sweeteners such as sugar or honey or fruit
The following recipe is a basic bitters brew. It takes six weeks to prepare and then can be taken in small doses before meals to stimulate digestion. WHAT YOU'LL NEED... - Sliced pears to fill 3/4 of a quart jar -1-2 teaspoons gentian root -1-2 cardamom pods - 2 teaspoons dried ginger - 6 cloves - 6 allspice berries - 2 teaspoons of orange peel - brandy or vodka - honey if desired I also added 1/4 ounce of yarrow to counterbalance the warming as I am energetically a Kapha Place all the fruit and herbs in a quart jar. Fill the jar with brandy or vodka. I partial to Brandy for taste since I don't drink. If desired you can add additional honey. Place a lid on this and shake well. Let sit for 6 weeks, shaking it every so often and checking underneath the lid to make sure everything is still covered. Add more alcohol if necessary. Once it is done, strain and label it. To use this bitters digestive brew you can drink a few swallows as is, or you can dilute it in water by placing 10-15 drops in an ounce of water. Originally Written by Rosalee de la Forêt. Taste of Herbs © LearningHerbs.com, LLC
Modified by Michael Bahr
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