Build Your Own Bitters

Delve deep into the art of herbal elixirs during this master class with the Meadow co-owner Mark Bitterman. He'll school you in the history and application of bitters in cocktails and cooking, then guide you through a tasting of six examples selected from the store's hundred-strong collection. Try international brands like Abbott's (often said to have been used in the original Manhattan cocktail), as well as local examples like Hella Bitter and Brooklyn Hemispherical—you'll taste them first with seltzer to get their pure flavor, then in two cocktails to demonstrate their mixology potential. Once you've got the fundamentals, go to town on a collection of 24 aromatic botanicals—both classic (such as gentian) and unusual (like coriander)—to craft your own take-home bitters.