Why Absinthe?
I consider myself mostly a wine and beer drinker. Yet I feel a strong pull towards the occasional glass of Absinthe.
Why? Well, there is the history, a dark one, then the hallucinatory myth--and the ritual of preparing a drink to your own specifications. It almost amounts to a religion--if Van Gogh, minus an ear, is your saviour that is.
And speaking of religion: who doesn't like the occasional squeeze of forbidden fruit?
Absinthe was banned in most European countries and the US in the early 20th century, increasing its value immensely. Today you are free to prepare and drink it in Europe.
When something is banned, you can usually be sure that the ban is making someone a lot of money and/or increasing someone's political power. According to one of the world’s leading absinthe experts, Ted Breaux, the reason for banning, Absinthe's "hallucinogenic properties", is one of the 5 myths of Absinthe:
Despite Absinthe's current concentration in France, it is said to have been invented in Switzerland and spread into northern France as it got popular. It's also popular in the Czech Republic, especially in Prague.
But what goes into a bottle of authentic Absinthe? Follow along...
What is Absinthe?
Absinthe is made by steeping herbs in a neutral spirit and then distilling the product of the mixture. The key ingredient is Wormwood, Angelica absinthium, which contains the terpene thujone, which has medical uses but is toxic at high doses. It is the thujone that was named in the Absinthe ban as the ingredient causing hallucinations.
At the end of the process, more fresh herbs are added to macerate in the alcohol, giving the liquor its characteristic green tinge.
Absinthe is very high in alcohol. It typically hits 70%, while most liquors weigh in at around 40%. How do you mitigate the effects of all that alcohol? You water it down. That's where the ritual shown in the picture comes in.
At any respectable absinthe bar, like this one in Antibes, you'll be presented with a source of water, usually an "absinthe fountain" with spigots all around, a perforated absinthe spoon, a supply of sugar cubes and a tall glass with a portion of Absinthe in it.
You assemble the ritual objects as in the picture, by placing the glass under a spigot, the spoon balanced on the rim of the glass, the sugar cube on the spoon.
You are set to dribble ice water ever so slowly onto the cube, which drips into the clear liquid and produces a roiling cloudiness in the Absinthe called la louche, an essential part of the absinthe experience.
Where can you find a place to perform this ritual? Let's find us a "church"...
While the old artists may have preferred a quiet hole-in-the-wall in which to imbibe while thinking impure thoughts they'd paint or write about later, being tourists our ritual might include music (and a collection box). The Absinthe Bar in Antibes is a rollicking good place to learn the ritual and walk the walk (if you can).
Provence has a thing for anice-flavored alcohol, but Paris has a few Absinthe bars you should know about, too.
Wandering Woman tells us of two Parisian Absinthe Bars, and also lets us know where to buy the accoutrements of the ritual. She also points you toward the Musee de l’Absinthe at 44 rue Alphone Calle, 95430 Auvers-sur-Oise, tel. 01-30-36-83-26, about 15 minutes outside of Paris.
David Lebovitz recommends Vert d'Absinthe in Paris.
If you'd like to explore the origins of Absinthe, the Swiss-French Absinthe Trail might be worth a quest.
I leave you with a video showing absinthe served in an ancient Green Fairy Pitcher.
I consider myself mostly a wine and beer drinker. Yet I feel a strong pull towards the occasional glass of Absinthe.
Why? Well, there is the history, a dark one, then the hallucinatory myth--and the ritual of preparing a drink to your own specifications. It almost amounts to a religion--if Van Gogh, minus an ear, is your saviour that is.
And speaking of religion: who doesn't like the occasional squeeze of forbidden fruit?
Absinthe was banned in most European countries and the US in the early 20th century, increasing its value immensely. Today you are free to prepare and drink it in Europe.
When something is banned, you can usually be sure that the ban is making someone a lot of money and/or increasing someone's political power. According to one of the world’s leading absinthe experts, Ted Breaux, the reason for banning, Absinthe's "hallucinogenic properties", is one of the 5 myths of Absinthe:
"Absinthe became a victim of its own popularity when the French wine industry and temperance movement targeted a common scapegoat to promote their respective agendas."
Despite Absinthe's current concentration in France, it is said to have been invented in Switzerland and spread into northern France as it got popular. It's also popular in the Czech Republic, especially in Prague.
But what goes into a bottle of authentic Absinthe? Follow along...
What is Absinthe?
Absinthe is made by steeping herbs in a neutral spirit and then distilling the product of the mixture. The key ingredient is Wormwood, Angelica absinthium, which contains the terpene thujone, which has medical uses but is toxic at high doses. It is the thujone that was named in the Absinthe ban as the ingredient causing hallucinations.
At the end of the process, more fresh herbs are added to macerate in the alcohol, giving the liquor its characteristic green tinge.
Pernod Fils' original recipe included six aromatic herbs: wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), Roman wormwood (Artemisia pontica), hyssop, lemon balm, fennel and anise. Herbs added into later recipes include angelica, dittany, juniper, nutmeg, and star anise. ~ Absinthe Chemistry and Recipes
Absinthe is very high in alcohol. It typically hits 70%, while most liquors weigh in at around 40%. How do you mitigate the effects of all that alcohol? You water it down. That's where the ritual shown in the picture comes in.
At any respectable absinthe bar, like this one in Antibes, you'll be presented with a source of water, usually an "absinthe fountain" with spigots all around, a perforated absinthe spoon, a supply of sugar cubes and a tall glass with a portion of Absinthe in it.
You assemble the ritual objects as in the picture, by placing the glass under a spigot, the spoon balanced on the rim of the glass, the sugar cube on the spoon.
You are set to dribble ice water ever so slowly onto the cube, which drips into the clear liquid and produces a roiling cloudiness in the Absinthe called la louche, an essential part of the absinthe experience.
Where can you find a place to perform this ritual? Let's find us a "church"...
While the old artists may have preferred a quiet hole-in-the-wall in which to imbibe while thinking impure thoughts they'd paint or write about later, being tourists our ritual might include music (and a collection box). The Absinthe Bar in Antibes is a rollicking good place to learn the ritual and walk the walk (if you can).
Provence has a thing for anice-flavored alcohol, but Paris has a few Absinthe bars you should know about, too.
Wandering Woman tells us of two Parisian Absinthe Bars, and also lets us know where to buy the accoutrements of the ritual. She also points you toward the Musee de l’Absinthe at 44 rue Alphone Calle, 95430 Auvers-sur-Oise, tel. 01-30-36-83-26, about 15 minutes outside of Paris.
David Lebovitz recommends Vert d'Absinthe in Paris.
If you'd like to explore the origins of Absinthe, the Swiss-French Absinthe Trail might be worth a quest.
I leave you with a video showing absinthe served in an ancient Green Fairy Pitcher.
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