How To Amuse Your Bouche With Digestive Bitters

Why should the decadence of fine dining be saved for special occasions? Why not bring the spirit of that delicious evening into your everyday? Why shouldn't you find pure bliss for your taste buds on the regular?

If you've ever had the delight of an amuse bouche landing on your table—that two bite little morsel that gives you a taste of what's to come—then you've already tapped into the cephalic phase of digestion. Building anticipation for your meal is actually super supportive of optimal digestive function. The more you can smell, see, and taste your food, the more all the enzymes required for breaking down and utilizing your food can be activated. It's called the Cephalic Phase. An amuse bouche is a mouth-watering step further that gets even more of your system involved.

You may have also heard about digestive bitters or the use of apple cider vinegar to get your digestive system primed for a meal, and it turns out that all these seasonal winter greens are actually the perfect way to tap into that as well. It's all about that bitter flavour for the effects that can enhance the breakdown and absorption of fuel and nutrients from your food.

Why is that so important for our energy levels? It’s all about getting our cells and tissues access to the nutrients they require to function at their best and supporting the energetic load of the process of digestion.

I always have a digestive bitters tincture in my arsenal for busy days that need a little extra edge. My favourites are from Anima Mundi and Harmonic Arts.

But here's a little starter salad I've been loving lately for all of these reasons.

A Simple Starter Salad For Digestive Bitters

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped radicchio (arugula also works well here)

1/4 cup chopped fennel

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1/2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp raw honey

Directions:

1. Mix olive oil, ACV, dijon and honey in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Chop freshly washed (salad spinner FTW) radicchio, fennel and parsley.

3. Throw veg into a bowl and toss with the dressing.

4. Optional: let sit for a couple of minutes so everything can soak in.

5. Top with chopped walnuts and serve.

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