So, I made some bitters.

I wouldn't say they are the best bitters in the world, but that's not really why I made them. It was more for the learning experience than anything else. Heck I didn't even keep notes on the recipes or anything. What follows are just some suggestions for putting them to use...

All of them

• Bitters & soda - This is the best way to try out bitters and get a sense of what they taste like and how they might match with other flavors. It's also the perfect designated driver beverage.
• Champagne Cocktail - Soak a sugar cube in a cocktail glass with bitters and fill the glass with your favorite bubbly wine.

Garden Bitters

These feature infusions of various fresh and dried herbs. They match well with gin and vodka drinks. Gentian root is the primary bittering agent.

• Gin/Vodka & Tonic - 3oz gin or vodka, 2 or three droppers of Garden bitters, top with a good tonic like Fever Tree or Q.
• Martini - 2.5oz gin, 0.5oz Dolin Blanc vermouth, 2 droppers of Garden bitters

Blood Orange Madras Bitters

Blood orange peel infused grain alcohol is the base and accents are provided by things like cardamom and cumin. Bittering is achieved with a mix of gentian root and cinchona infusions.

• Gin/Vodka & Tonic (as above)
• Negroni - 1:1:1 of gin:sweet vermouth:Campari. Add a dropper of Madras on top after the drink is mixed.
• Martinez - Use this recipe, subbing 1 or 2 droppers Madras bitters for the called-for orange bitters.

Blood Orange Whiskey Bitters

This time I dried the blood orange peel and infused that in Wild Turkey 101. Some flavor is added by way of a blood orange juice and balsamic reduction, and cinchona is the primary bitter flavor.

• Old Fashioned - This recipe should do you fine. Use a couple droppers of Blood Orange Whiskey bitters.
• Boulevadier - Add a dropper of Blood Orange Whiskey bitters to this recipe.