A jigger of rye, a pour of coffee liqueur — Stephen Shelton mixes it up at Los Gatos’ Lexington House, concocting a smoky libation called Cocktails & Cigarettes. He stirs, he pours and then, with a flourish, Shelton adds that final explosive touch, a few dashes of Workhorse Rye’s Coffee Rye bitters.
In today’s cocktail world, bitters are the “it” ingredient. It’s a trend so hot, craft bitters are even called out by name on cocktail menus.
Your father may have dabbled with elixirs of the Angostura or Peychaud’s variety, but Bay Area mixologists are experimenting with flavors that range from grapefruit to tobacco, rose geranium and Chinese five-spice. These days, you can even find lavender bitters at BevMo and Whole Foods.
The bitters truth? They’re everywhere.
Read more on Eat Drink Play in the San Jose Mercury News
