No matter where you go in the world, bartenders will tell you that we ‘ve all become just that little bit more bitter. Sure, the world is a mess but it’s within our tastebuds that the real change has occurred.
No longer is the trend for overly sweet drinks, but instead we now all think we’re in a Fellini film, as Italian aperitif take over our drinking culture. Yes, we are looking at you Aperol Spritz – followed very closely by the Negroni – as we all down a pre-dinner aperitif.
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Now while it may seem that Italy has the lock on Amaros and all things bitter, its worth not discounting the French and their Amer. And one of the testier versions is Amer Picon, which found its start in 1862.
And if you’re wondering why the Italians have come to the fore and not the French, it comes down to three basic factors.
Firstly, the Italians have a much strong tradition of using bitter liqueurs in cocktails. Secondly, most people don’t associate the French word Amer with its meaning of bitter. And lastly, unlike the Italian versions, some of the Frech bitter Liqueurs can be really hard to get your hands on.
But if you can grab a bottle of Amer Picon, do so with both hands as it’s back-bar gold. With fresh and dried Orange peel are distilled in alcohol and then mixes with a separate distillate of macerated gentian root and cinchona (quinquina or Jesuits’ bark, containing quinine) before sugar and caramel are added.
It was originally concocted a medicinal tisane. by Gaétan Picon. In North Africa to fight off malaria and it was common for French soldiers in North Africa to drink it to fight malaria. Picon went on to open a distillery in Marseille, France where he produced Amer Picon.
Now while the recipe is beliueved to have changed a few times since its original inception, it still, as so many bitter liqueurs do, aids digestion when drunk before a meal. It’s most common to serve it over ice but it is amazing in cocktails.
The Picon Punch is probably one of the ebst known cocktails in which it is used, but there are a variety of other cocktails that call for Amer Picon’s sophisicated bitterness and they areall worth trying.
