It's a bitter pill to swallow when there are no Manhattans to drink

A crime has been committed in the name of partying.  With the worldwide Agnostura Bitters shortage greatly affecting all of Manhattan’s Manhattans, one woman decided she simply could not throw a party without the secret bitters concoction.  So, she walked into a Brooklyn bar, waited for her moment,  reached over the bar and stole a bottle of Agnostura bitters.  She was seen stuffing the bottle in her bag and was stopped at the door. After whining about needing the bitters for her party, she literally ran away with her contraband. It seems that this party was salvaged and no one will be prosecuted, but it does say something about the state of restaurants and consumers when certain products go awry.

ChefMod first heard about the bitters shortage back in November, and we have dealt with the repercussions ever since.   Our customers know that whether or not they purchase online or call the vendor directly, there is still a chance that they will not receive the product.  While the bitters shortage is a severe and rare example, we deal with unexpected shorts every day.  Weather affects nearly every product we work with–tomatoes, fish, chicken.  Back in January, we received pictures of Florida’s frozen tomato plants that looked like washed up pieces of kelp.  Consequently, tomato prices skyrocketed.

Unfortunately for fresh tomatoes, there’s not much of an alternative other than canned varieties.  But for many of our products, we can help you lower your food costs with economical alternatives.  A recent swordfish shortage led us to recommend mako shark, which has a similar texture and flavor.   A few months ago, we subbed baby head lettuce for Romaine and mesclun greens damaged by winds in California.  And Agnostura bitters?  They are slowly trickling in, and we get dibs on the supply.  Still, it’s a tough market.  If it’s unavailable, we can at least get you the ingredients to make a twist of your own!

It’s never a perfect substitute, and we know that, but the least we can do is find better pricing on an alternative product.  Who knows, maybe you will discover a delicious special while tinkering with your mako shark and baby head lettuce.  If not, there’s always gin and tonics to drown your sorrows, because Manhattans are still dried up.