Quassia Cup Quassia

Quassia wood contains the most bitter-tasting flavor found in nature. Even insects won't bother the tree. So why would anyone want to drink an extract made from Quassia bark? It contains chemicals that soothe the stomach and sharpen the appetite. Today, Quassia is used for organic insecticides and has also been found effective in treatments for leukemia and cancerous tumors. People still drink it in their cocktails, too-it's one of the sources for the mixer "bitters". Quassia is native to the West Indies, where islanders once carved cups from the wood and filled them with water to create a medicinal brew.