Lemon, lime and bitters

aka: a happy compromise

This post originates on a Christmas day that went sideways because of Covid, leading to a happy re-discovery of a favourite (non-alcoholic) drink!

Last Christmas, I flew to Sydney, Australia, to spend the holidays with my family, but a few days before I left, a couple of family members came down with Covid, so I ended up in a (fabulous) hotel apartment for a few days until everyone was well again. This meant that our grand Christmas Day plans were scuttled, and we all were on our own for Christmas Day meals. I found myself unsure of what I wanted in a meal (as I was also horribly jetlagged, I wasn’t sure what time/ day it even was), so after a long day of wandering and way too many steps, I collapsed on the sofa in front of Netflix and scrolled Uber Eats, hoping SOMETHING would be open for delivery.

I happened across I Love Pho, which was open AND delivering, so I quickly ordered some chicken pho and… did I WANT a drink? Not really. But then I spied it: Lemon, Lime and Bitters. To go. SOLD!

Sidenote: this was SUCH a good meal; so fresh and tasty! Love that they sent various components of the meal separately so you could assemble your meal as you wanted. This was enough for two meals.

What the heck is Lemon, Lime and Bitters?

21-year-old me would tell you that it’s the drink you order at a pub when you’re the Designated Driver. Or when you are hungover (not necessarily related, but maybe). Technically it’s not completely non-alcoholic as the Bitters

contain 44.7% alcohol by volume [but] each dash contains an insignificant amount of alcohol and therefore remains non-alcoholic.¹.

The ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) calls it:

An unassuming drink, made with ingredients from all over the world²

Yes, that’s it - an unassuming drink that I had forgotten about until I was back in Australia - it feels like SUCH an Australian thing.

Again, per the ABC:

The combination may be a simple one, but unlike AC/DC, it just hasn't caught on overseas.

(lol, it’s true!)

It’s made with lemonade, lime cordial and Angostura Bitters. It’s an EXCELLENT alternative to soft drinks/ sodas when you are out and not wanting to drink alcohol. It feels slightly more sophisticated than a pint of Diet Coke or Cranberry and Soda.

Wait. that’s it? So unassuming yet… so popular?

Yep! It’s literally those three ingredients, but it’s wildly popular as an NA alternative in Australia. According to the ABC article cited above, more than 100 million LLB are served annually in Australia.³

What are the origins of this simple yet popular drink?

LLB is made using Angostura Bitters⁴ which were used back in the 1800s to treat sea sickness. Angostura is the “pink” part of Pink Gin, a fashionable drink back in the day, (RIP my formidable mother-in law, Rosemary Phillips, who did love a Pink Gin every day!) and the non-alcoholic version of this was lemonade with Angostura Bitters.

Lemonade and bitters was seen as a mildly sophisticated drink that could be served to people of all ages. In 1910, one writer was struck by how enthusiastically middle-class London teenagers embraced "the sugary turmoil of lemonade and angostura".⁵

All over the world at the end of the 19th century, people were mixing bitters with various beverages both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, while in Australia, it’s thought that it was a popular drink among golfers. It’s has evolved over the years to include more sophisticated variations of the key ingredients (i.e. finger lime juice instead of lime cordial) but it remains firmly entrenched in Australian (pub) culture and something I miss terribly here in Canada. Meaning, I have to make my own…

Ok, so how do I make this magical drink?

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 3/4 - 1 cup (188ml - 250ml) lemonade (you can use pink lemonade, diet Sprite or 7-Up or fancy artisanal lemonade here)

• 2 tablespoons Roses Lime Cordial (in Australia this would definitely be Bickfords) OR you could use freshly squeezed lime juice for a less sweet option

• 6-8 (or more, to taste, really⁶) drops Angostura Bitters (or bitters of your choice)

• Ice cubes

• Slices of lime

Method

1. Pour the lemonade into a tumbler.

2. Stir in the lime cordial juice.

3. Add the bitters and swirl.

4. Taste to see if you need more bitters or more sweetness (either from lemonade or cordial)

5. Add the ice cubes and lime slices and give a good stir.

6. Cheers!

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Why I’m loving this right now

Having not been “myself” for months and months this past academic year, I wasn’t really drinking much alcohol. Sure, on special occasions I would indulge (like, one glass) but for the most part, my body didn’t want alcohol. Post brain-surgery (if you’re new here, you can read the full story here), alcohol isn’t something I’ve felt like either. I’ve had sips here and there but basically I’ve been exploring loads of non-alcoholic options this summer.

Lemon Lime and Bitters is an excellent alternative to a gin and tonic on a hot day and it looks fancy so if you suffer FOMO (fear of missing out), you can fit right into l’heure de l’apéro/ cocktail hour. Plus, it’s super tasty!

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Let me know if you have tried this or would like to try in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Stay safe,

Mardi xo

1. Source

2. Source

3. 2018 figures

4. Bitters themselves were invented by a German doctor in South America

5. Source

6. Depending on the day, I like more or less bitters. The iteration you see pictures here is on the pale side but sometimes I’ll double the bitters. This is when “to taste” comes into play!