Absinthe Drink
Absinthe drink is one of the most famous alcoholic drinks, or spirits, in the world. Famously banned in 1915 due to its cannabis like psychedelic effects on the brain, its alleged addictive quality and its high alcohol content, it was reviewed for safety in the 1990s and found safe for sale and the ban was lifted in most European countries.
There are many different spellings of the word Absinthe – Absinthe, Absinth, Absynthe and Absenta. Central Europeans often spell it “Absinth” without the “e”. The word Absinthe comes from the Latin “absinthium” the name for wormwood, one of its main ingredients. “Absinthiana” is the word describing the objects used in the preparation of Absinthe – the Absinthe glasses , Absinthe spoon, carafe, fountain and brouilleur. There are many Absinthiana antiques available on the market and there are collectors who specialize in Absinthiana.
Absinthe is a liquor made from herbs including wormwood (artemisia absinthium), anise, fennel and star anise. The chemical thujone, from the wormwood, was thought to be responsible for the psychedelic effects of Absinthe. Absinthe has been famously blamed for Van Gogh’s madness and his act of cutting off his ear. However, Absinthe is just as safe as drinking any strong liquor like whisky or vodka, and has not been found to have any psychedelic or hallucinogenic effects.
Absinthe Drink is nicknamed “The Green Fairy” because of its striking emerald green color and is renowned for being the favored beverage of Bohemian Parisian society, the artistic set. Many famous artists and writers were fans of the Green Fairy – Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway. Absinthe has even featured in the paintings of Van Gogh and Picasso. Hemingway famously invented a cocktail recipe he called “Death in the Afternoon” which was a mix of Absinthe and champagne – delicious!
Absinthe Drink Preparation Instructions
– Pour Absinthe into an Absinthe glass.
– Rest a special Absinthe slotted spoon, like those available online from AbsintheKit.com, on the glass and put a sugar cube on it.
– Pour ice cold water over the sugar. The drink will louche or become cloudy as the water mixes with the Absinthe.
– Enjoy drinking your Absinthe, the famous drink of fairies!
There are also many cocktails recipes which use Absinthe such as the “Moulin Rouge” which is a mix of Absinthe, Archers and Grenadine.
Absinthe louches, becomes cloudy, because of its natural oil content. The oils from the herbs in the Absinthe are not water soluble and so make the drink cloudy when the water is added. These herbal oils give Absinthe its famous milky appearance and, of course, its wonderful taste.
Absinthe Today
Absinthe drink is available from many different manufacturers and in many different types. You can even order Absinthe essence online. This essence which is available from companies like AbsintheKit.com is great because one 280ml bottle of essence makes 14 bottles of Absinthe – a brilliant economy. A measure and artistic bottle labels are also provided. You can also buy lovely Absinthe spoons and glasses to help you make the perfect Absinthe drink.
Enjoy your Absinthe the traditional way or search online for Absinthe cocktail recipes.