Absinthe is the famous liquor of nineteenth and early 20th century Europe. It was a drink that has been favored by great artists and intellectuals prior to being banned by most countries for most of the 20th century. Absinthe or the “Green Fairy” has made an awesome comeback since most countries have recently lifted the ban in the wake of new discoveries that proved it does not contain substances that are unhealthy for humans. Since the lifting of the ban great deal of interest has been generated in the drink and the sophisticated serving ritual. In this article we will see how to drink absinthe adhering to two traditional rituals.
Absinthe is anise flavored bitter liquor made from a number of alpine herbs. Wormwood or Artemisia absinthium is the principal herb utilized in its preparation. Wormwood contains thujone a chemical which is widely considered to produce effects much like cannabis. However, new research has proved that the effects of thujone are largely overstated. Absinthe was absinthelegal very popular among the great painters and writers, some popular names included Vincent van Gogh, Ernest Hemmingway, Pablo Picasso, and Oscar Wilde.
Absinthe just isn’t like several other spirit plus an intricate ritual is implemented in its preparation. Traditional French and Czech rituals are the two most adopted customs applied when serving absinthe.
The standard French ritual requires a bottle of absinthe, absinthe spoon, absinthe fountain, sugar cube, absinthe glass, and ice cold water. A shot of absinthe (1.5 ounces) is poured inside a unique absinthe glass. An absinthe slotted or perforated spoon is put on the glass and a sugar cube placed above it. Ice cold water is little by little dripped on the sugar cube from an absinthe fountain. As the water drips above the sugar cube it dissolves the sugar and falls in the glass. Once the sugar has fully dissolved extra ice water is added in the glass to further dilute the absinthe. Typically two parts of water to 1 portion of absinthe is employed. As absinthe gets diluted it turns cloudy white or opaque, this is called the louche effect. This occurs as the essential oils from herbs found in absinthe precipitate. The absinthe has become ready to be served.
The Czech ritual is a lot more modern and more fun. One shot of absinthe (1.5 ounces) is poured in the absinthe glass and absinthe spoon is positioned to the glass with a sugar cube. The sugar cube and the spoon is then dipped in absinthe and withdrawn. The absinthe soaked sugar cube is then lighted with a lighter. As the flames engulf the sugar cube it caramelizes. The spoon is then dipped in the glass and ice cold water is included in further water down the absinthe. As water is added the absinthe becomes opaque white due to louche effect. The drink is then served.
A note of extreme caution, absinthe has substantial alcohol content (about 140-proof) and should be consumed in moderation. The best way to drink absinthe is to sip it slowly to see the subtle and unique results of the herbs.
Extraordinary absinthe spoons, absinthe glasses, and absinthe fountains enhance the aura and mystique of absinthe. You can get absinthe and absinthe accessories from several internet vendors. Among the best absinthe essence and other absinthe accessories are available on absinthekit.com, probably the most trusted sites dealing in absinthe and affiliated products.