Absinthe, an intense alcoholic beverage made famous by the likes of Degas, Vincent Van Gogh, and Ernest Hemmingway is making a comeback all over the world and it is not uncommon to find absinthe on the menu cards of trendy bars. Absinthe after being banned for almost a century is now legalized in most of Europe; however, the United States continues to ban absinthe and US citizens have to buy absinthe online from non-US producers.

Absinthe is made from several herbs and contains high alcohol concentration. Absinthe which was earlier invented to treat stomach illness soon acquired legendary status due to its unique effects. It was endorsed by nineteenth century bohemian artists and writers and soon became the favorite drink of the masses and classes. The great painters and writers considered absinthe as a creative stimulant and nicknamed it “the Green Fairy” and “the Green Muse”. Absinthe was prepared using an elaborate traditional ritual. Special absinthe spoons and absinthe glasses along with absinthe fountains were used in the preparation of the absinthe drink.

The drinks popularity soon spread to the United States and it gathered a significant fan following; however, mental illness and violent behavior of absinthe drinkers soon gave it a bad reputation. This resulted in absinthe being banned in Europe and other countries.

Thujone a substance present in wormwood was widely believed to cause absinthe madness and a condition called absinthism. Recent studies using advanced analytical tools proved that thujone content in pre-ban absinthe was well below dangerous levels. This new research led to absinthe being legalized in most European countries. Absinthe is easily available in UK and most other European countries. There is no ban on absinthe in Canada and Mexico.

You can also buy absinthe in the United States and many brands are available in liquor stores. The absinthe available in United States is actually the watered down version of the original genuine absinthe. Absinthe sold in the United States has to conform to laws that require thujone content to be less than 3 parts per million.

The good news is that US citizens can buy their absinthe online from non-US producers. There are many websites that sell European absinthe online. Thujone levels in European absinthe are much higher than those produced in the US. If you are lucky, the customs will let it pass; however, customs have the authority to confiscate the absinthe bottles and sue the importer as it is still considered a narcotic drug.

The best alternative available for US citizens is to order absinthe essence and make their absinthe. Genuine absinthe essence and other absinthe accessories can be ordered online from reputed sites such as absinthekit.com. The credit card information and transactions are kept confidential and secure. The products are shipped within two days and delivered within 5 days in Europe and 10 days in other parts of the world including United States.

Absinthekit.com guarantees delivery, you have to be 18 years or older to buy absinthe. Absinthekit.com has a well-manned customer service and support desk that handles all the service related issues diligently.

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 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.

The legendary drink that was banished at the turn of the last century is back and has become a favorite with young professionals; however, one ingredient is missing from the absinthe that is available in the USA – wormwood. Today absinthe minus thujone can be purchased and enjoyed legally.

So popular is absinthe amongst the young that culinary antique dealers are finding it hard to keep up with the demand for absinthe spoons, absinthe glasses and rare absinthe fountains. Absinthe is strong liquor which has herbal extracts from herbs such as anise, veronica, hyssop, licorice, lemon balm, fennel, angelica and of course wormwood. Wormwood contains thujone which is toxic if consumed in large quantities but in small quantity it acts a stimulant.

Absinthe has high alcohol content (as high as 60%) and this gives the licorice tasting liquor its famous kick. Absinthe is served with sugar and ice cold water. Absinthe ritual is followed in preparing the drink. The sugar cuts the bitterness and ice cold water is responsible for the louche effect. Louching happens when essential oils are precipitated in the solution. The emerald green liquid turns opaque white due to the louche effect.

Absinthe first came to the United States in New Orleans. Absinthe soon became very popular amongst authors, musicians, and other people associated with the world of art and literature. The old Absinthe House on Bourbon Street is a witness to absinthe’s popularity.

The simplest way to purchase absinthe in the United States is by the internet. Many US citizens are buying absinthe to see for themselves what the fuss is all about. Possessing and drinking absinthe is not a crime in the USA; however, production and sale is prohibited. Absinthe sold in the USA is thujone-free. Thujone is supposed to be the most active ingredient in absinthe that is responsible for its mystical effects.

Absinthe has gained acceptance the world over and it is just a matter of time that it will be permitted in the United States. Absinthe containing higher levels of thujone is finding their way into the United States. However, there is a way out for people who want this exotic drink. You can go online and order absinthe kits. The kits contain all the herbs required and detailed instructions on preparing your own absinthe. You just have to buy the neutral spirit and mix the herbs in the required quantity with the spirit and keep it for a few days. After few days you can strain out all the herbs and your own absinthe is ready. You can also buy absinthe essence and mix it with vodka and prepare your absinthe.

Absinthe called lucid is now available for sale in the United States. It is reported that lucid does not contain thujone and is prepared using the traditional French distillation techniques. Alcohol content in lucid is as high as 62%ABV.

However if you are interested in genuine absinthe, it is recommended that you order absinthe kits online from non-US producers and prepare your own absinthe. For genuine absinthe essence and other absinthe products like absinthe spoons and absinthe glasses visit absinthekit.com order your favorite absinthe essence and absinthe kit and spend a great evening with “The Green Fairy”

‘Absinthe Thujone’ these two words have had a very ambivalent history. Absinthe on the one hand was lovingly called as ‘The Green Fairy’, ‘The Green Muse’, or ‘The Green Goddess’ was also equally hated by its detractors and held responsible for moral degeneration and madness.

The origin of absinthe can be traced back to later years of the 18th century when a French doctor Dr. Pierre Ordinaire invented a digestive tonic using herbs such as wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), fennel, anise, hyssop and nutmeg. It was considered an herbal remedy at that time. In the year 1797 Henri-Louis Pernod started commercial production of absinthe. In 1805 a dedicated distillery for the production of absinthe was set up by Pernod and soon after that absinthe became the national drink of France. It was the most popular alcoholic drink in Europe and at one time absinthe rivaled wine. It is estimated that in the 19th century more than 2 million liters per year of absinthe was consumed in France alone. The rich and poor both consumed absinthe.

Absinthe was considered an inspirational drink and many great artists and writers were regular drinkers. Great painters like Vincent Van Gogh were so much in love with ‘The Green Fairy’ that absinthe features in five of his masterpieces. Other prominent people from the world of art and literature including Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde, and Hemmingway attributed their creative genius to absinthe and its mystical effects. However, by the beginning of the twentieth century alarmed by the increasing alcoholism amongst the population and certain unfounded rumors the demand to ban absinthe started gathering momentum. It was widely believed that thujone a terpene found in the herb wormwood was responsible for the detrimental effects of absinthe. It was widely believed that absinthe contained alarming levels of thujone. This sustained campaign against absinthe eventually led to absinthe being banned at the beginning of the 20th century in most of Europe and North America.

With the ban on absinthe, interest in absinthe slowly declined. However in some parts of Europe absinthe was still distilled clandestinely and this came to be known as clandestine absinthe. In the year 1975 in a paper published in a scientific magazine indicated that thujone’s chemical structure is similar to THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol which is present in cannabis and causes convulsions and hallucinations when consumed in large quantity. However in the year 1999 further evidenced proved that thujone has no effect on cannabinoid receptors. The research further proved that thujone in small quantity produces stimulant action, as it is a GABA-A modulator. In the light of this new finding most European countries have now lifted the ban on absinthe and it is now available in Europe. However, it continues to be banned in the US.

US residents can buy absinthe from non-US producers as possession and drinking of absinthe is not illegal in the US. With the fast growth of the internet there are many online stores that sell absinthe essence and other absinthe products. You can now buy absinthe essence online and prepare your own absinthe at home. A note of caution, since absinthe has high alcohol content it is recommended that you drink absinthe in moderation.

Good quality absinthe contains wormwood and other essential oils, these oils get precipitated when ice-cold water is added to it and the emerald green color of absinthe turns opaque white, this is called louching and it is responsible for the fabulous anise flavor.

For top quality absinthe essence and other absinthe products and accessories visit absinthekit.com