Racing Bunny, Q. Cassetti, 2011, pen and inkBeautiful, budding day. Green carpets, blue sky…and the magnolia are on the downside of their glory. Cherry buds, apple buds and the red fingered peonies are unfurling. The deer continue to eat anything in their path. Next person in their path is me with a frying pan and something sharp.
Moving more work…today its tradeshow graphics, a masthead, something for an intranet site, and I hope amending some illos etc. Finished up the reconfiguration of a brochure for an event opening next week as well as a complementary sandwich board. Will be going on the road with a new client to do a little competititve research and talk. Should be fun. This project is something I can get my teeth into.
Interesting discovery. I love aromatic bitters. How would you know that? I love how they can change the flavors of things along with just a dash in selzer water makes a tasty, astringent drink…brisk and delicious. Big kids’ sodie pop. No sugar, no junk and yet a bit of a move off of just plain water. So back to bitters. I was talking to a friend who makes her own (!) and I remembered something from one of those esoteric sites I get notices from. They had a collection of artisan bitters which tempted me to no end…So I searched last night thinking I would find it. No soap, however…I discovered something equally as interesting. There is a company in Rochester (yes! Rochester, NY!), The Fee Brothers>>
“Fee Brothers is a four generation old manufacturer of top quality Cocktail Mixes, Bitters, Flavoring Syrups, Iced Cappuccino Mix and other beverage ingredients. Some of the products we manufacture are very hard to find anywhere else. We are sure you will find our old family recipes second to none.”
They have orange, cherry, grapefruit, peach, mint, lemon, rhubarb, and whiskey aged bitters. More than the regular angostura. And, they have a collection of bitters (12 of them “the spice rack for your bar) which include chocolate, celery, cranberrry, and plum). From that, I learned bout this amazing site called “KegWorks” which showcased floral waters from Fee Brothers too (lavender, orange water, rose flower, hibiscus waters)
It seems the Bitters Business is an interesting one. There is The Bitter End Company (Jamaican Jerk, Mexican Mole, Thai, Memphis Barbecue to name a few). There is Bittermens ( hopped Grapefruit, Xocolatl Mole, Elemakule Tiki, Boston Bittahs, Burlesque). Dr Adam Elmegirab has a “Boker” bitter, a spanish cocktail bitter and a dandilion and burdock bitter. Bittercube (with a $48. gift pakc with all sorts of exotica).
Seems like there is a small batch bitters revolution and we didnt know it was happening! Check out Cocktail Kingdom who touts their business as Barware, Books, Bitters.
That is now something to ponder!