Angostura

/ˌæŋɡoʊˈstʊrə/ noun

Definition

A bitter aromatic liquid used in small amounts to flavor drinks and foods, made from a blend of spices; originally associated with the city of Angostura (now Ciudad Bolívar) in Venezuela.

Etymology

Named after Angostura (meaning 'narrow strait' in Spanish), a city on the Orinoco River in Venezuela where the bitters were originally produced in the 1820s by Dr. Johann Siegert, a German physician.

Kelly Says

Angostura bitters is so iconic that bartenders literally use it in cocktails around the world, and it's one of the few food products that's named after a place that no longer exists with that name—the city was renamed in 1846, but the bitters kept the old name!

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