Artemisia Absinthium is the botanical and Latin name for the plant Common Wormwood. The name “Artemisia” comes from the Greek Goddess Artemis, daughter of Zeus and Apollo’s twin sister. Artemis was the goddess of forests and hills, of the hunt and also a protector of children. Artemis was later linked to the moon. It is thought that the Latin “Absinthium” comes from the Ancient Greek for “unenjoyable” or “without sweetness”, referring to wormwood’s bitter taste.

The herb, oil and seeds known as Wormwood are from the Common Wormwood plant, a perennial herb which often grows in rocky areas and on arid ground in Asia, North Africa and the Mediterranean. It has also been found growing in parts of North America after spreading from people’s gardens. Other names for common wormwood, or Artemisia Absinthium, are armoise, green ginger and grande wormwood.

Wormwood plants are pretty, with their silver gray leaves and tiny yellow flowers. Wormwood oil is produced in tiny glands on the leaves. The Artemisia group of plants also includes tarragon, sagebrush, sweet wormwood, Levant wormwood, silver king artemisia, Roman wormwood and southernwood. The Artemisia plants are members of the Aster family of plants.

Wormwood has been used as a herbal medicine since ancient times and its medical uses include:-
– Easing labor pains in women.
– Counteracting poisoning from toadstools and hemlock.
– As an antiseptic.
– To ease digestive problems and to stimulate digestion. Wormwood may be helpful in treating people who do not have sufficient stomach acid.
– As a cardiac stimulant in pharmaceuticals.
– Reducing fevers.
– As an anthelmintic to expel intestinal worms.
– As a tonic.

There is research claiming that wormwood may be effective in treating Alzheimer’s disease and Crohn’s disease.

Effects of Artemisia Absinthium

Wormwood is a key ingredient in the liquor Absinthe, the Green Fairy, which was banned in many countries in the early 1900s. Absinthe is named after this herb which also gives the drink its characteristic bitter taste,

Absinthe was banned because of its alleged psychedelic effects. It was thought to cause hallucinations and to drive people insane. Absinthe was also linked to the Bohemian culture of Parisian Montmartre with its loose morals, courtesans and artists and writers.

Wormwood contains the chemical thujone which is said to be similar to THC in the drug cannabis. There has been an Absinthe revival since the 1990s when studies showed that Absinthe actually only contained very small amounts of thujone and that it would be impossible to drink enough Absinthe, for the thujone to be harmful, because Absinthe is such a strong spirit – you would be comatose first!

Drinking Absinthe is just as safe as drinking any strong spirit but it should be consumed in moderation because it is about twice as strong as whisky and vodka.

Absinthe just is not real Absinthe without Artemisia Absinthium. Many manufacturers make “fake” Absinthes using other herbs and flavorings but these are not the real Green Fairy. If you want the real thing you must check that they contain thujone or Common Wormwood or use essences, such as those from AbsintheKit.com, to make your own Absinthe containing Artemisia Absinthium.

This plant is native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe and Asia. It is commonly known as absinthe, absinth, wormwood, or green ginger. Artemisia absinthium belongs to the Asteraceae family of plants. This plant escaped cultivation and can now be found all over Asia, Europe, Africa, North and South America. Artemisia absinthium can be cultivated by planting cuttings as well as seeds.

Since ancient times this plant has been used for medicinal purposes. The ancient Greeks used this plant to treat stomach ailments and as an effective anthelmintic. Artemisia absinthium contains thujone which is a mild toxin and gives the plant a very bitter taste. The plant is drought resistant and easily grows in dry soil. Artemisia absinthium is also used as an organic pest repellent.

This plant has many therapeutic uses. It has been used to treat stomach disorders and aid digestion. The plant has active elements such as thujone and tannic acid. The word absinthium means bitter or “without sweetness”. Artemisia absinthium is also called as wormwood. The word wormwood appears several times in the Bible, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Wormwood has been used for centuries to treat stomach ailments, liver problems, and gall bladder problems. Wormwood oil extracted from the plant is applied on bruises and cuts and also used to relive itching and other skin infections. Wormwood oil in its pure form is poisonous; however, small doses are harmless.

Artemisia absinthium is the main herb used in the production of liquors such as absinthe and vermouth. Absinthe is a highly alcoholic beverage that is considered to be one of the finest liquors ever made. Absinthe is green in color; however some absinthes produced in Switzerland are colorless. Several other herbs are used in the preparation of absinthe. Absinthes unique effects made it the most popular drink of nineteenth century Europe.

Parisian artists and writers were avid drinkers of absinthe and its association with the bohemian culture of nineteenth century is well documented. Some of the famous personalities who considered absinthe a creative stimulant included Vincent Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, Pablo Picasso and Arthur Rimbaud.

By the end of nineteenth century thujone in absinthe was blamed for its harmful effects and absinthe was eventually banned by most countries in Western Europe. However, new research has shown that thujone content in pre-ban absinthe is below harmful levels and that the effects earlier attributed to thujone are grossly overstated. In the light of these new findings most countries legalized absinthe once again and since then absinthe has made a stunning comeback. The United States continues to ban absinthe and it will be while before absinthe becomes legal in the US. However, US citizens can order absinthe kits and absinthe essence and make their very own absinthe at home.

For more authentic information about absinthe and to order genuine absinthe essence, absinthe kits, and other absinthe accessories visit absinthekit.com

Anise, or Aniseed as it is sometimes referred to, is one of the main ingredients of Absinthe and is the main flavoring in Ouzo, a Greek alcoholic beverage.

Its botanical time is Pimpinella Anisum and it is a spice which is used in cooking and for flavoring candies like liquorice. Even though it has a liquorice taste, it is not related to the herb liquorice or licorice.

Anise is a flowering plant and is a member of the “Apiaceae” family of plants which are aromatic with hollow stems. The Apiaceae family includes fennel (another ingredient of Absinthe), carrots, parsnip, cumin, coriander and caraway. Anise is a herbaceous annual and it grows naturally in Southwest Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Anise and Medicine

Anise has many medicinal uses:-
– As an antiseptic.
– To treat insomnia.
– To treat scorpion stings (when mixed with wine)
– To relive toothache.
– As an antispasmodic.
– To treat indigestion.
– To treat coughs, colds and bronchitis.
– To treat parasites, lice and scabies.
– As a breath freshener.

It is used in the manufacture of cough medicines and lozenges and used widely by aromatherapists.

Anise and Cooking

Anise is used in many sweets and candies – aniseed balls, aniseed wheels and many other candies throughout the world. It is also used in Indian cooking, Middle Eastern cooking, in cakes and cookies, stews, pickles and with fish.

Anise and Alcohol

It is a major ingredient in many alcoholic drinks throughout the world including:-
– Ouzo from Greece.
– Raki from Turkey.
– Sambuca from Italy.
– Arak, the Arabic drink.
– Pastis – the French aperitif.
– Absinthe – with other spices and herbs including wormwood, fennel, lemon balm, hyssop, angelica root, star anise, juniper, dittany, veronica and nutmeg.

Anise is also made to make some types of root beer in the US and to make a Mexican hot chocolate style drink called champurrado.

When Absinthe was banned in 1915 in France due to its controversial herbal ingredient Wormwood, many manufacturers and distilleries wanted to make an Absinthe substitute. French company Pernod, who first produced Absinthe, made Pernod Pastis. Pastis had many of the ingredients of Absinthe and its aniseed flavor but without wormwood. Absinthe is now legal in many countries around the world and so is back in production.

In the United States today, thujone, the chemical in wormwood, is still strictly regulated so normal Absinthe is still illegal. An American distillery is now making an Absinthe with minute quantities of thujone called Absinthe Verte. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) will only allow amounts of up to 10 parts per million of thujone so the distillery, St George, are sticking to the rules and have created an Absinthe which is low in thujone.

St George Absinthe Verte is made from brandy and herbs including wormwood, basil (which has an aniseed flavor), anise, fennel, tarragon and mint.

Anise can also be found in Absinthe essences from online companies like AbsintheKit.com who produce essences for the Absinthe industry and for people to mix at home with vodka or Everclear to make their own Absinthe liquor. These essences also contain the vital Absinthe ingredient wormwood. No Absinthe is complete without the flavor of anise and the bitter flavor of wormwood.

Anise or Pimpinella anisum is a flowering plant that is native to the Mediterranean and Southwest Asia. This is a small flowering plant that grows to about three feet tall. Anise is also known as anis. This plant bears white flowers in umbels and fruits are dry and oblong. This plant is primarily used as food plant from ancient times and was used to flavor many ancient cuisines.

Anise grows in fertile and well-drained soil; seeds are generally sown in spring. The plant has tap roots and is closely related to the carrot family. The plant is being used as a flavoring agent since ancient times. The Arabic name is anysum which is believed to have been derived from the Greek word anison. It is perhaps the oldest spice known both for its culinary and medicinal properties. Egyptologists claim that there is evidence to suggest that anise was used by ancient Egyptians as far back as 1500 B.C. The Romans used anise to aid digestion, anise spiced cakes were eaten by Romans after heavy meals to aid digestion.

Anise is aromatic and sweet; it contains liquorice like substance and is generally used in the preparation of confectioneries as well as breads. It is also used to flavor food, fish, soups, poultry, and vegetable dishes. Several alcoholic beverages also contain anise the more famous include pastis, Ricard, and Pernod. The Turks use anise to make their alcoholic beverage Raki and the Arabs use anise to make arak. Indians use anise mainly as a digestive after heavy meals.

Anise is one of the many herbs used in the preparation of the legendary nineteenth century liquor ‘absinthe’. Its sweet aromatic flavor reduces the bitterness of wormwood and gives absinthe a distinct taste. Anise also plays an important part in the louche effect when water is added to absinthe.

Anise is known to contain a substance called anethole. Anethole is an aromatic compound and is also found in fennel, star anise, and anise myrtle. Anethole is believed to be many times sweeter than sugar and is pleasant to taste even in higher concentrations. At room temperature anethole is in a crystalline form and melts at 21°C. Chemically anethole is close to estragole that is found in basil and tarragon. Anethole is mildly toxic if consumed in large quantity. Anise is believed to be a reliable cure for insomnia and like wormwood stimulates appetite.

Anise is an essential herb used in the preparation of absinthe and is accorded an important place in the holy trinity of herbs that define absinthe. Wormwood and fennel are the other two herbs that are a part of the holy trinity. It is these three herbs that give absinthe its distinct taste and cause its unique effects.

Absinthe has made a terrific comeback after being banned by most countries for almost a century. Absinthe is now legalized in Europe. However, the United States continues to ban the production and sale of absinthe. Possession and consumption of absinthe is not a crime and US citizens can buy absinthe online from non-US producers. The easiest way US citizens can have access to absinthe is to make their very own absinthe at home using genuine absinthe essence and absinthe kits. 20ml of high quality genuine absinthe essence is mixed in 730ml of vodka or any other neutral spirit to make 750ml of high quality absinthe at home.

There are several online stores that sell absinthe kits and essences. However, absinthekit.com is considered the most reliable and trusted name in this industry.

Absinthe wormwood is normally Artemisia Absinthium or Grand Wormwood which is actually a variety of wormwood which does not contain a vast amount of the chemical thujone. Some brands of Absinthe use Roman Wormwood, Artemisia Pontica, in addition to Grand Wormwood and this type of wormwood also contains thujone, so drinks with two types of wormwood may contain more thujone. Thujone amounts can differ between brands significantly, some Absinthes only have negligible amounts of thujone, whereas others have up to 35mg/kg. Only Absinthe which has negligible amounts of thujone is legal for sale in the USA because thujone is an illegal food additive there.

Why is there controversy about Absinthe Wormwood?

Common Wormwood, Artemisia Absinthium, is a plant which has been used in medicine since Ancient times. It has been used:-
– To counteract poisoning caused by toadstools and hemlock.
– As a tonic.
– To reduce a fever.
– As a stimulant to digestion.
– To treat parasitic intestinal worms.
It is the herb Wormwood which gives Absinthe its bitterness, its green color and its name. The essential herbal oils in Absinthe are also responsible for the famouse “louche” effect, the cloudy that happens when water is addded to the drink.
Absinthe was banned in the early 1900s in many countries because of the alleged harmful effects of the chemical thujone, found in Wormwood extract. Absinthe drinking was linked to violent crimes, serious intoxication, insanity and thujone was thought to have psychoactive and psychedelic effects and to be an hallucinogen. It was even claimed that a french man killed his whole family after drinking Absinthe – he was actually an alcoholic who consumed copious amounts of other alcohol after the Absinthe!
From being a trendy Bohemian drink enjoyed by many writers and artists, such as Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde, it was suddenly a banned and illegal drink. It was banned in many European countries and also in the USA but was never banned in the UK, where it had never been popular, Spain, Portugal or the Czech Republic.

Absinthe Wormwood Revival

There was never any real evidence linking Absinthe drinking to hallucinations or insanity and it is now known that Absinthe is no worse than any other highly alcoholic drink. Absinthe has approximately twice the alcoholic content of spirits such as whisky and vodka and so should be consumed in moderation, but Absinthe wormwood is not thought to be harmful. Many Absinthe drinkers do report feeling a funny lucid or clear headed type of drunkenness when consuming a bit too much Absinthe – this could be due to the combination of the sedative effects of some of the herbs (and the alcohol content)and the stimulating effects of the Wormwood and other herbs.

Since Absinthe was legalized in many countries in the 1990s there has been a renewed interest, a revival, in Absinthe drinking. There are many different types and brands of Absinthe available to buy and buyers can even order Absinthe essence, to make their own Absinthe, online from companies like AbsintheKit.com.

Absinthe Wormwood is still the most important ingredient in Absinthe today but thujone content is strictly regulated in the European Union (no more than 10mg/kg) and the United States where only trace amounts are allowed. Look for Absinthes that contain real wormwood and herbs not artificial flavors.

Absinthe was never quite as popular in the United States as it was in Europe, but Absinthe USA was popular in the French part of the city New Orleans which even had specialist Absinthe bars serving the Green Fairy.

Absinthe is a liquor which was first created as an elixir or tonic by a doctor in Switzerland in the late 18th century. It was made from herbs such as grande wormwood, or artemisia absinthium, fennel and aniseed. Absinthe is traditionally green in color, apart from the Swiss La Bleue clear types, hence the nickname “The Green Fairy” or, in French, “La Fee Verte”. It is served in a special Absinthe glass with a sugar cube resting on a special slotted spoon. Iced water is poured over the sugar to dilute the Absinthe.

Drinkers of Absinthe claim that the drink gives them a strange “clear headed” drunkenness which may be caused by its curious recipe of herbs, some of which are sedatives and some which are stimulants. The essential oils of these herbs cause Absinthe to louche, or go cloudy, when water is added. The oils are soluble in alcohol but not in water. Absinthe is a very strong spirit, up to about 75% alcohol by volume, which is about twice the strength of whisky or vodka.

Absinthe USA and the Absinthe Ban

Absinthe was famously banned in many countries in the 1900s and Absinthe USA was banned in 1912. The French prohibition movement claimed that the thujone in Absinthe (the chemical in wormwood) was psychoactive and caused psychedelic effects. Absinthe was also linked to the loose morals of the Moulin Rouge and Montmartre with its courtesans, artists and writers, and, when an Absinthe drinker murdered his family, it was just the excuse the prohibition movement needed to get the French government to ban Absinthe. Many countries, including the United States followed suit.

Absinthe and drinks containing any plants from the artemisia family were banned in the USA and it became illegal to buy or sell Absinthe. Americans were forced to buy bootleg Absinthe, make their own, buy Absinthe substitutes, such as Pastis, or travel to countries like the Czech Republic where Absinthe was still legal and on sale in Absinthe bars.

Ted Breaux and Absinthe USA

Ted Breaux, from New Orleans, is an Absinthe distiller in France. His Jade collection of Absinthes has won many awards.

It was always his dream to be able to sell his Absinthe in his native country but the laws outlawed him doing so. Breaux had worked hard at recreating Absinthe from pre-ban recipes and had actually been able to analyze some vintage bottles of Absinthe. When he analyzed the vintage Absinthe, he found that it actually only contained minute quantities of thujone – contrary to the belief of the US government.

Breaux and his lawyer friend, Gared Gurfein, were able to meet with the US Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau and tell them about “Lucid”, an Absinthe that Breaux had created especially for the American market which only contains trace amounts of thujone. In 2007 Lucid went on sale in the US and since then a couple of other brands have also been allowed to go on sale in the USA. These Absinthes are available online or in bars.

It is great news that Americans can taste real classic, and legal, Absinthe in their home country for the first time since 1912 – Absinthe USA!

In the early 1900s many European countries banned the strong alcoholic drink Absinthe, United States banned Absinthe in 1912.

Absinthe was never as popular in the United States as it was in European countries such as France and Switzerland, but there were areas of the US, such as the French part of New Orleans, where Absinthe was served in Absinthe bars.

Absinthe is a liquor made from herbs such as wormwood, aniseed and fennel. It is often green, hence its nickname the Green Fairy, and it has an anise taste.

Absinthe is an interesting concoction or recipe of herbs that act as a stimulant and alcohol and other herbs that act as a sedative. It is the essential oils from the herbs that cause Absinthe to louche, go cloudy, when water is added.

Wormwood, Artimesia Absinthium, contains a chemical called thujone which is said to be similar to THC in the drug cannabis, to be psychoactive and to cause psychedelic effects.

Absinthe United States and the ban

At the beginning of the 1900s there was a strong prohibition movement in France and this movement used the fact that Absinthe was linked to the Bohemian culture of Montmartre – with its writers, artists and the courtesans and loose morals of establishments such as the Moulin Rouge, and the allegation that an Absinthe drinker murdered his family, to argue for a ban on Absinthe. They claimed that Absinthe would be France’s ruin, that Absinthe was a drug and intoxicant that would drive everyone to insanity!

The United States followed France’s example and banned Absinthe and drinks containing thujone in 1912. It became illegal, a crime, to buy or sell Absinthe in the USA. Americans either had to concoct their own homemade recipes or travel to countries like the Czech Republic, where Absinthe was still legal, to enjoy the Green Fairy.

Many US legal experts argue that Absinthe was never banned in the US and that if you look carefully into the law and ordinance you will find that only drinks containing over 10mg of thujone were banned. However, US Customs and police would not allow any Absinthe shipped from abroad to enter the US, only thujone free Absinthe substitutes were allowed.

Absinthe United States 2007

Ted Breaux, a native of New Orleans, runs a distillery in Saumur France. He has used vintage bottles of pre-ban Absinthe to investigate Absinthe recipes and to create his own classic pre-ban style Absinthe – the Jade collection.

Breaux was amazed to find that the vintage Absinthe, contrary to belief, actually only contained very minute quantities of thujone – not enough to harm anyone. He became determined to provide an Absinthe drink which he could ship to his homeland, the US. His dream was to once again see Absinthe being consumed in bars in New Orleans.

Breaux and lawyer Gared Gurfein, had many meetings with the Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau about the thujone content of Breaux’s Absinthe recipe. They found that actually no law needed to be changed!

Breaux’s dream became reality in 2007 when his brand Lucid was able to be shipped from his distillery in France to the US. Lucid is based on vintage recipes and contains real wormwood, unlike fake Absinthes. Now, in 2008, a brand called Green Moon and two Absinthes from Kubler are all able to be bought and sold within the US.

Absinthe United States – Many Americans are now enjoying their first taste of real legal Absinthe, perhaps there will be an Absinthe revival.

Absinthe thujone is the chemical found in Absinthe’s vital ingredient, the plant called Common Wormwood, or Artemisia Absinthium to give it its botanical name. The chemical thujone was partly responsible for Absinthe being banned in the early 1900s in many countries across the world and thujone is still tightly regulated today, especially in the United States (or states united).

Thujone was thought to be similar to THC found in cannabis and Absinthe was alleged to be psychoactive and have psychedelic effects causing hallucinations and insanity. Absinthe was popular with the Bohemian set in Montmartre in Paris and many artists and writers claimed that Absinthe, the Green Fairy, gave them inspiration and their genius. Famous Absinthe drinkers include Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Degas, Baudelaire and Verlaine. Some say that Van Gogh’s madness was caused by Absinthe and that he cut off his ear under its influence. Absinthe was even blamed for a man murdering his family, even though he had consumed many other strong alcoholic drinks after the Absinthe.

Prohibition campaigners used news of the murder to campaign for the banning of Absinthe and blamed France’s growing problems of alcoholism on the emerald liquor.

Is Absinthe Thujone Dangerous?

Today’s research suggests that it was actually the alcohol (ethanol) content of Absinthe that was dangerous rather than the thujone. Absinthe is twice as strong as spirits like whisky and vodka and can be 75% alcohol. Care should therefore be taken when consuming Absinthe. Thujone is only present in minute quantities and should therefore cause no major side effects or health problems. The EU stipulates that alcoholic beverages with an ABV (alcohol by volume) level over 25% may only contain a maximum of 10mg/kg of thujone, beverages classed as “bitters” can contain up to 35mg/kg, it is not entirely clear which class Absinthe fits into but most brands of Absinthe have much less than 35mg with many being under 10mg/kg. In the US it is only legal to buy or sell Absinthes with trace amounts of thujone.

High doses of thujone can be dangerous causing convulsions but you would have to drink a large amount of Absinthe to consume that amount of thujone and it would be impossible to drink that amount, you’d be comatose from alcohol before then!

Absinthe Ingredients

It is said that Henri-Louis Pernod, who owned the first Absinthe distillery, used the herbs wormwood, aniseed, fennel, lemon balm, hyssop, angelica root, dittany, star anise, nutmeg, juniper and veronica to make his famous Pernod Absinthe. The essential oil from these herbs is responsible for La Louche, the clouding which happens when water is added to Absinthe. These herbs especially the aniseed and anise are responsible for the distinctive aniseed or licorice taste of Absinthe and wormwood is responsible for the bitter flavor. Absinthe is sometimes used as bitters in cocktails.

There are many brands of Absinthe or Absinthe substitutes which were developed during the ban and therefore contain no Absinthe thujone or wormwood, but many would say that Absinthe is not Absinthe without Absinthe thujone and the bitter taste of wormwood. If you want real Absinthe look for brands containing wormwood or Absinthe thujone.

Absinthe spoons, Absinthe glasses, fountains, drippers and brouillers are all collectively known as Absinthiana and are the accoutrements used in the preparation of Absinthe. Original items are now highly valued by collectors and you see such antiques and collectibles being sold for quite substantial amount of money.

If you cannot afford original Absinthiana then you can buy replicas from companies such as AbsintheKit.com to help you prepare the perfect Absinthe in style.

Types of Absinthe Spoons

Absinthe spoons, cuilleres, were introduced in the 1880s to make Absinthe preparation easier. Previously perforated cups over Absinthe glasses had been used. These spoons were pierced or slotted to allow sugar and water to drip through into the absinthe.

Absinthe spoons, or cuilleres, come in many different shapes and sizes and are also made out of many different kinds of metal including silver, nickel and chrome. Marie-Claude Delahaye, a historian specializing in Absinthe history, has concluded that there are over 375 different types of Absinthe spoon.
The most common type of spoon is shaped like a trowel and is called the French Pelle and this group of cuilleres includes the pretty “les feuilles d’Absinthe” which have got Absinthe foliage designs on them. Also in this group is the famous spoon design featuring the Eiffel Tower which was designed to commemorate the opening of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.
The second group of Absinthe spoons is the group of “les Grilles” or “Les Grillagees” meaning lattice. The third and final group is called “Les cuilleres” and includes designs with a long handle and a cradle to hold the cube of sugar.

Some of the most famous Absinthe spoons are “Les Cuilleres de Poilus”. A Poilu was a French soldier from the Great War and these Cuillere spoons were fashioned by soldiers at war using materials which were close at hand – shell casings, aluminum, tin and brass. These spoons were only made at the start of the war because Absinthe was banned in France in 1915. Soldiers designed these spoons to fit their own drinking cups. These beautiful and unique spoons are now highly collectible antiques.

Absinthe was banned because of the alleged psychedelic and psychoactive effects of thujone, the chemical found in the herb wormwood which is a major ingredient in Absinthe. Absinthe was legalized in most countries in the 1990s after it was noted that it was no more harmful than any other strong liquor and contained only minute amounts of thujone.

The Absinthe Ritual

There is a ritual to be followed by lovers of the Green Fairy (Absinthe). To make the perfect Absinthe you need:-
– An Absinthe spoon
– An Absinthe Glass
– Absinthe
– Iced Water
Some people would also say that an Absinthe fountain, brouiller or carafe should be used for the water.
To prepare the Absinthe:-
– Pour approximately 25-50ml of Absinthe into your glass.
– Rest your Absinthe spoon (cuillere) on the glass and place a cube of sugar on it.
– Pour the iced water slowly onto the sugar cube. You should begin to see the louche happening from the bottom of the glass.
Louching, or clouding, happens because the essential oils from the herbs are not soluble in water. The finished drink should be milky or cloudy looking.

The correct ratio of water and Absinthe is between 3:1 (Water to Absinthe) and 5:1 depending on taste.

Using Absinthe spoons and other Absinthiana will help you to fully enjoy the Absinthe ritual.

The Absinthe spoon is an important part of the Absinthe Ritual known sometimes as La Louche. Absinthe equipment is known as Absinthiana which includes articles like Asbinthe glasses and glassware (such as carafes and fountains), drippers, brouillers and spoons or cuilleres. It is possible to buy antique items or to purchase replica absinthiana. Absinthiana allows you to enjoy drinking your Absinthe in style, in the traditional way.

Absinthe is an anise flavored alcohol made with herbs including wormwood, aniseed and fennel. Absinthe was banned in the early 1900s due to its thujone content and claims that it caused hallucinations and drove people insane. There are many references to Absinthe in the paintings and writings of many famous people including Oscar Wilde, Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway.

Absinthe is now legal in many countries and claims that it is dangerous and toxic have been disproved.

Types of Absinthe Spoon

Cuilleres, or Absinthe spoons, started to be used in Absinthe preparation in the 1880s to replace perforated cups that had previously been used to allow the sugar to dissolve in the water before dripping into the Absinthe. Absinthe spoons are perforated or slotted with holes or slots and are designed to rest on the top of an Absinthe glass.

The spoons came in a variety of sizes and were usually made out of silver, silver plate, nickel or chrome. Replicas today tend to be made from stainless steel. According to the Absinthe historian Marie-Claude Delahaye, owner of an Absinthe museum, there are more than 375 different Absinthe spoons which include:-

– The French Pelle – This spoon is shaped like a trowel and the most famous spoons in this group are the pretty “Les Feuilles d’Absinthe”, with their lovely Absinthe plant foliage designs, and the Eiffel Tower spoons which were designed to commemorate the opening of the Eiffel tower in 1889. The Pelle group of spoons is by far the most common group of spoons.

– Les Grilles or Les Grillages meaning “lattice” – This group of spoons is recognized by its lattice work designs.

– Les Cuilleres – This third group includes designs with a long handle and a cradle to hold the cube of sugar.

Absinthe was a popular drink with French soldiers, in fact French soldiers had been supplied with Absinthe in the 19th century to treat malaria. Soldiers in the Great War made Absinthe spoons from materials which were close at hand – aluminum, shell casings, tin and brass. These spoons are known as “Les Cuilleres de Poilus”, a Poilu being a French soldier. These unique spoons are highly collectible antiques because they were only made at the start of the war – Absinthe was banned in France in 1915. These spoons are beautiful and are all different because they were designed by soldiers for their own personal cup.

The Use of the Absinthe Spoon in the Ritual

The Ritual, or La Louche, is the name given to preparing Absinthe. In an Absinthe bar in the Green Hour, L’heure verte, Absinthe would be served by a waiter or bar man in a large Absinthe glass. The waiter would rest a sugar cube on a slotted Absinthe spoon and use a fountain or carafe to drip iced water over the Absinthe. Once the water mixed in to the Absinthe the essential oils in the Absinthe caused the drink to louche, become cloudy. This is because the oils are soluble in alcohol but not in water.

Replica Absinthe spoons and glasses can be purchased online at AbsintheKit.com along with additional items such as essences to make your very own traditional wormwood Absinthe.