I love bitters.

Clearly, this perverse attraction is an acquired taste. Virtually all children are repulsed by bitter flavors, and I was no different. But, at some point on the road to maturity, I developed a preference for the astringent, sour, sharp qualities that mark my favorite foods and drinks. Given the overwhelming variety of hop-filled IPAs, funky cheeses, and extra-dark chocolates that are available, it appears that I am not alone in my appreciation.

Humans (or at least some fraction of us) are unique in seeking out and savoring the bitter. Other animals are either insensitive to the taste or actively repelled by it. That’s because bitterness is a hallmark of the toxic chemicals that plants produce as a defense mechanism. Evolution favors survival, so the ability to detect and avoid potentially poisonous foods is, on balance, a good thing.

But our relationship with bitterness is more complicated. Some of those noxious plant compounds – acetylsalicylic acid (better known as aspirin), quinine, codeine – are therapeutic in small doses. In fact, cocktail bitters were originally developed as patent medicines rather than flavoring agents. But the high alcohol content of those elixirs was probably as strong a selling point as their supposedly curative properties.

So, the next time you add a dash of bitters to your favorite drink, take a moment to enjoy the bracing bite of that first pungent sip. Mmmmmmm!

h.