Strawberry Digestive Bitters
These strawberry bitters are mild and tasty yet still provide the power of bitters to aid in digestion.
Servings: 32 ounces
Equipment
- 3 quart (32 oz) jars with tight fitting lids
- 1 large bowls
- 1 flour sack towel or cheecloth
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 narrow-mouth funnel
- 1 or more Glass bottles with screw-on caps for decanting bitters
Ingredients
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger or 1 tsp powdered ginger
- 1 large lemon, peel only with the zest and pith save the fruit of the lemon for another recipe
- 1 4" Ceylon cinnamon stick, broken in half
- 1 vanilla bean pod, cut in half and split
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp allspice berries
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/4 tsp whole cloves
- 2 or more cups vodka raw apple cider vinegar can be substituted
- 2 tbsps rich syrup a mixture of water and honey (See recipe instructions.)
Instructions
- Add strawberries to a quart jar.
- Add the cinnamon, vanilla, and all the spices to the jar.
- Add the vodka, making sure that the strawberries are completely covered. Do not worry if some of the spices float to the top.
- Put the lid on the jar and shake it. Then, allow it to steep for two weeks out of direct sunlight, shaking it daily.
- After two weeks, rinse a flour sack towel or cheesecloth in cool water and ring it out. Lay it over a mesh strainer placed over a large bowl. Pour the strawberry mixture from the quart jar into the lined mesh strainer and allow the liquid to drain into the bowl. When it stops draining, pull the flour sack towel or cheesecloth together into a ball and squeeze out any remaining liquid.
- Take the strained liquid from the bowl and place it into a clean quart jar. Set aside.
- Take the strawberry mixture from the flour sack towel and transfer it to a saucepan. Cover the contents of the saucepan with water. Bring the mixture up to a boil on high heat on the stovetop. When it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low and cover the saucepan. Allow the mixture to simmer on low for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the saucepan from the stovetop and transfer it to a heatproof surface. Allow it to cool completely.
- Once the mixture has cooled completely, use a wide-mouth funnel and a ladle to transfer the strawberry mixture, including the water it was simmered in, from the saucepan to a clean quart jar.
- Set this jar aside for one week and allow it to steep, out of direct sunlight, shaking it daily.
- After one week, rinse a flour sack towel or cheesecloth in cool water and ring it out. Lay it over a mesh strainer placed over a large bowl. Pour the strawberry mixture from the quart jar into the lined mesh strainer and allow the liquid to drain into the bowl. When it stops draining, DO NOT squeeze the cloth.
- To the newly strained liquid, add the original strained liquid and stir well to incorporate. Set aside.
- Make the rich syrup: Mix 2 cups of honey with 1 cup of water. This mixture is your rich syrup, and you will need 2 tablespoons of this syrup for your bitters recipe. Refrigerate the remaining rich syrup to make other bitters or sweeten hot or cold beverages.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the rich syrup to the strained strawberry liquid. Mix well to fully incorporate the rich syrup. This liquid is your bitters.
- Use a funnel to decant the bitters into multiple small bottles or one large bottle.
- Bitters can be stored at room temperature in a cool, dark pantry or refrigerated. If alcohol has been used, the shelf life is at least 5 years. If apple cider vinegar has been used, the bitter must be refrigerated and will last approximately 1 year.
- To take the bitters, place 1/4 teaspoon under the tongue before a meal. You can use up to 1 teaspoon. Bitters can also be added to no more than 2 ounces of water and sipped before a meal. Bitters can also be taken after a meal to combat indigestion.
Video
Notes
You can also use other berries in this recipe, such as blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries. You just need 2 cups of whatever berries you choose.
You can find this recipe and video at https://marysnest.com/how-to-make-the-most-flavorful-strawberry-digestive-bitters/
For more traditional foods recipes and a guide to build your traditional foods kitchen, get my bestselling book, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook, at https://marysnest.com/my-cookbook/
Free and comprehensive lesson plans to teach traditional food recipes and kitchen techniques to students K-12, download The Modern Pioneer Cookbook Curriculum at https://marysnest.com/cookbook-curriculum/
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