Orange Bitters Recipe Adapted From Chef Brad Thomas Parsons

Ingredients

• Zest of 3 oranges, cut into strips with a paring knife
• ¼ cup chopped dried orange peel
• 4 cloves
• 8 green cardamom pods, cracked
• ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
• ½ teaspoon gentian root
• ¼ teaspoon allspice berries
• 2 cups high-proof vodka, or more as needed
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons rich syrup

Directions

1. Place all of the ingredients except for the vodka, water, and rich syrup in a quart-sized Mason jar or other large glass container with a lid. Pour in the 2 cups of vodka, adding more if necessary so that all the ingredients are covered. Seal the jar and store at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 2 weeks, shaking the jar once a day.
2. After 2 weeks, strain the liquid through a cheesecloth-lined funnel into a clean quart-sized jar to remove the solids. Repeat until all of the sediment has been filtered out. Squeeze the cheesecloth over the jar to release any excess liquid and transfer the solids to a small saucepan. Cover the jar and set aside.
3. Cover the solids in the saucepan with the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the saucepan, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool completely. Once cooled, add the contents of the saucepan (both liquid and solids) to another quart-sized Mason jar. Cover the jar and store at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 1 week, shaking the jar daily.
5. After 1 week, strain the jar with the liquid and solids through a cheesecloth-lined funnel into a clean quart-sized Mason jar. Repeat until all of the sediment has been filtered out. Discard the solids. Add this liquid to jar containing the original vodka solution.
6. Add the rich syrup to the solution and stir to incorporate, then cover and give the jar a shake to fully dissolve.
7. Allow the mixture to stand at room temperature for 3 days. At the end of the 3 days, skim off any debris that floats to the surface and pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined funnel one last time to remove any solids.
8. Using a funnel, decant the bitters into smaller jars and label. If there's any sediment left in the bottles, or if the liquid is cloudy, give the bottle a shake before using. The bitters will last indefinitely, but for optimum flavor use within a year.