Bitterman's Field Guide to Bitters & Amari: 500 Bitters; 50 Amari; 123 Recipes for Cocktails, Food & Homemade Bitters

I love classic cocktails and know that it's all about nuances in ingredients that make a great drink. This book fills a void between an almost over saturated craft cocktail area and a much more limited area on bitters. And including amari with bitters is one of those "why didn't I think of thats"...they're very much the same thing with the difference being that bitters are used more as seasoning (not consumed alone) while amari are intended to be consumed by themselves. But when considered together as cocktail ingredients, there is the potential to develop compexities through their layered, flavored, foundational bitter notes.A great discussion of bitterness, including its role in our evolution and survival, all linked to an innate avoidance of things bitter, and their lore as medicinal, curative products. For those of us that are always in pursuit of the perfectly balanced classic cocktail, that backdrop can give rise to pride - even machismo. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger (right?), and in this case, stronger and with a great buzz.For a food book I found the writing particularly engaging, and felt like I got to know Bitterman through the read. Quite engaging. Schloss' cocktail recipes are innovative, and delicious. And beyond that, the book is beautiful.Kudos to Bitterman and Schloss

I first read the  Parsons  book about DIY bitters, and now I'm hooked. Given a topic of such breadth, more points of view can only be helpful. I found this one helpful indeed, possibly the equal Parsons, partly because of its very different choice of topics.First, the DIY part. This offers recipes similar to Parsons's, but probably fewer. That said, it takes a more playful and experimental approach to each recipe. Instead of a monolithic block of instructions, each recipe gives a framework of supporting and bittering botanicals, then offers a variety of different choices for the main flavoring. Clearly, if Bitterman suggests a half-dozen variations on a theme, you're welcome to come up with your own, as well. This section describes the qualities of the bittering agents used, but says little about the supporting cast of characters - you're on your own to learn about them elsewhere, often by trying his recipes.The next big sections demonstrate use of bitters not just in a range of cocktails, but in all kinds of recipes from fried chicken to ice cream sandwiches! I'm curious to try a few of the recipes, but some seem a bit out-there. Then, the book ends with evaluations of a whole host of bitters and amari, as rated by Bitterman and his friends. I haven't tried nearly the number that he, as a retailer, has tried, but mostly agree with the rankings offered. I have to differ regarding Fee brothers  cherry bitters , however. Although this book ranks it highly and I like other Fee bitters, I found the cherry flavor one-dimensional and overpoweringly artificial - the only bitters I ever threw out unused.Parsons is still my favorite book on the topic - but this is a close second.-- wiredweird

This is a beautifully written and designed book. Sporting a flexible, yet sturdy cover with title letters in relief, it feels and handles like a first class birding/wildflower/mushroom book. Eye-catching and informative and happy. It is a happy book! Perfect for holding over a kitchen counter while browsing for recipes. The photography is very cool and the text just the right touch of clever. When I first picked it up I wanted to put on my wandering coat, this book in hand, and charge out into the backcountry in search of bitters and amari. I hope I find some because I want to make the sazerac cioppino and the tidy toddy. How about the bittersweet chocolate torte too! The Ethiopian chicken would make any hungry mouth water. Bitterman's Field Guide should be on Christmas lists for all lovers of food and drink--and on the registry of all brides and grooms to be.

As a bartender in a burgeoning world of flavors, aromas, and palate it has been a formidable task grasping the enormous world of amari and bitters. This field guide covers all the important points and leaves you feeling inspired. It has helped me grow in my craft and brought an enormous amount of enthusiasm with its approach. Very readable with excellent recipes and exciting approaches to the craft of bartending. I use this consistently as a resource in my trade. Loved it.

Love the layout, the organization and the comprehensive history of bitters, their use and how they came to be.Very useful book. I recently took it to a bitters restaurant event and referred to it and was able to greatly expand my understanding of bitters. It is my go-to reference.

I absolutely love this book. I was able to check it out at the library and had to have a copy of my own. Very well written, beautifully put together, great photos... The one star I removed is simply because I purchased the Kindle version and although I have a larger Fire, apparently my screen is small enough that I can't read the pages of this book without zooming in, again and again. That's kind of a pain in the neck. I'd hope that if a Kindle version is available, it would be optimized to be easily read on a tablet. That said, I encourage anyone interested in these incredible recipes and histories to buy a hard copy. You'll be glad you did. I think this would make a great gift, too!

Well written and very thorough. Recipes, background, explanations of types of bitters and good descriptions of bitters. Fun and easy to use. A really awesome book all around. Great for bartenders.

Really fantastic recipe book for bitters as well as well balanced cocktail recipes for the bitters! We used the recipes to make the bitters and gave them as gifts along with this book to our friends. I looked at many bitter recipe books before selecting this one. Absolutely recommend this for anyone who appreciates a good well crafted beverage.

Excellent reference book!

Libro molto bello e interessante. Molte ricette spiegate alla perfezione .

I am addicted to trying out the wonderful recipes and very informative

Very nice resume about bitter with a long list of every brand of bitter. Nice and lovely, i recommend you to read this book

Super bouquin pour tout les passionnés de mixologie qui veulent parfaire leurs connaissances. Des descriptions détaillées de la plus part des bitters et amari. Petit plus le livre est souple et la couverture est très réussie!