Ode to the Five Tastes: Bitter

The unsung hero of the fundamental flavors

Each of the five elemental flavors is extraordinary, both in its own right and as a member of the symphony of taste, and I’m celebrating each one’s unique attributes. Today: bitter.

Bitterness might not be the most obvious darling of all the flavor profiles. After all, the word “bitter” evokes acerbic and even melancholy feelings. But as an element of cuisine, it should not be overlooked, and it should certainly never be underestimated.

Bitter flavors — think kale, coffee, mustard, and pure dark chocolate, to name just a few — are some of the most impactful tools in cooking, with their ability to add depth, richness, and dimension to a dish. Humans have developed something of a hypersensitivity to bitterness, partly as a result of an evolutionary response that developed to protect us from toxic substances. But that sensitivity is precisely the quality that makes bitter flavors able to add so much potency to a dish, especially when balanced with sweet, acidic, or spicy flavors. “In the kitchen, eschewing bitter is like cooking without salt, or eating without looking,” chef Jennifer McLagan declared in her book Bitter: A Taste of the World’s Most Dangerous Flavor. Below, is a dish and a drink emblematic of bitter’s complex power.

Broccoli rabe

It may come as a surprise, but broccoli rabe is not in fact broccoli. Also known as rapini, broccoli rabe is actually a member of the turnip family. Though it might seem counterintuitive, that fact also helps to explain why broccoli rabe packs more of a bitter punch than the only mildly bitter standard broccoli.

First cultivated in China and the Mediterranean, broccoli rabe reached other corners of the globe in the 1920s, when the D’Arrigo brothers — produce entrepreneurs from Sicily — started growing the plant in Salinas, California. It’s a staple in Chinese and Italian cuisine, often sauteed and served as an appetizer, incorporated into pasta or noodle dishes, or creating a robust complement to proteins.

With its great crunch and ability to soak up aromatic spices beautifully, broccoli rabe is easy to enjoy as a simple sauteé or in a salad. But a version with just a couple more steps, like Mark BIttman’s straightforward parmesan bake, really makes the greens sing. Just sauteé the broccoli rabe in oil and garlic and dust with parmesan, then bake until a delicate crust of nutty parmesan forms. Bitter never tasted so brilliant.

The Americano

The age-old pairing of bitter and sweet are on delicious display with the Americano. A showcase for the king of bitter spirits, Campari, blended with sweet vermouth and gin, it’s a light, summer-perfect offering and a smooth approach to bitter cocktails.

Today, the Americano’s cousin, the Negroni, is the more well-known of the two, but it turns out that there would be no Negroni without the Americano. As libation legend has it, the Negroni was developed when Count Camillo Negroni requested a stronger version of his favorite cocktail, the Americano, in 1919. The Americano, on the other hand, was first shaken up in the 1860s, at the bar owned by Gaspare Campari — the inventor of the spirit. The Americano was initially known as the Milano-Torino, named after Campari’s home city, Milan, and Turin, the origin of vermouth.

A classic example of a bitters aperitif, Campari’s flavor is as strong as its signature crimson hue. Campari-based drinks often celebrate the spirit’s bitterness by garnishing with a citrus peel. And that’s just what to do with the Americano. This is a drink that’s meant to be served in a towering highball glass stacked with ice, and sipped on a leisurely summer day. And it’s refreshingly simple: just combine one part Campari with one part sweet vermouth, pour over ice, and top with club soda. Of course, don’t forget to add the requisite orange peel before relishing the cool concoction, right down to its deliciously bitter end.

Danilo Diazgranados is an investor, collector, and lover of fine wines and a member of the prestigious Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, a fraternity of Burgundy wine enthusiasts.