Angosoda: The Unusual 3-Ingredient Drink Julia Child Swore By

Julia Child was a culinary legend in the 20th century, but her legacy didn't end when the millennium hit — as we're still eating up her tips for which apples to use for the best tarte tatin, how to create decadent creamy scrambled eggs, and the perfect beurre blanc sauce for upgrading your veggies. Yet, while she's remained famous for her cooking advice, what's less known about Child are her own dietary preferences, including her unusual drink of choice.

If you've never heard of the Angosoda, we're not surprised. Child invented this mocktail in the 1970s, but it has never become mainstream in the U.S. To make it, all you need are three ingredients: sparkling water, lime, and Angostura bitters. Bitters are technically boozy (there's a negligible amount of alcohol in a few drops) with a concentrated flavor that varies based on which type you choose; and they've been around since the early 1800s. Since their flavor is so powerful, Child's recipe only calls for a dash of them to give your water a distinct taste. But overall, the Angosoda is light and refreshing, ideal for sipping in the summer or drinking to offset many of her heavier, butter-laden dishes.

Wondering how can you make Child's beloved mocktail at home? If you want to follow the famous chef's recipe to a tee, take a page out of her 1978 cookbook "Julia Child & Company." In it, she advises using "a large, handsome, stemmed glass" along with Perrier, although you can pick any sparkling water that tickles your fancy. Plop a few ice cubes into your glass, top with a few drops of Angostura bitters and a slice of lime, and fill your glass the rest of the way with sparkling water. Angostura makes a couple different types of bitters today, but you'll want to go for its aromatic bottles, which combine notes of fruit, spices, and herbs.

If the Angosoda is a little too simple for you as-is, there are easy ways to jazz it up. Pour in a little cherry syrup or grenadine (which gets its tart, fruity flavor from pomegranate) since both pair well with lime, or just add a few maraschino cherries to your glass for a more subtle taste. For a blueberry-lime mocktail, make a blueberry syrup to add to the bottom of your cup, and top your drink with a few of the fresh fruits. Of course, Child dreamed up the Angosoda to be a low calorie, alcohol-free beverage, but no one's going to stop you from pouring in some vodka or gin if you want a refreshing cocktail instead.