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| Apr 21, 2007 3:18 pm |
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re: re: re: re: re: Liquors of the World Thread - Fact and Fiction - Info & Fun |
Loveleen Arun
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This is about Absinthe ( or Absinth )about which i recently discovered while travelling in Prague. This intresting green coloured Spirit is also called the "Green Fairy". What piqued my interest was the fact that it has been banned in many countries for a number of years. ( is still banned in the USA, cannot be sold as "Absinthe" in France, cannot be sold unless colourless in switzerland...and so on). The varied reasons for the ban ( hallucinogenic, highly addictive etc)have given this alcohol a mysterious and controversial reputation. It is however, being revived now all over Europe.
Absinthe's moment came with the 1840s Algerian wars, when French soldiers drank it as a prophylactic against disease. They brought it home, and by the 1860s Parisian cafes had established 5pm as l'heure verte - "the green hour". Absinthe is derived essentially from wormwood and Anise. In fact this strange alcohol is best remembered as an integral part of Bohemian Paris and many famous artistes of that time are known to have produced their work under the influence of absinth
The most interesting part about absinthe is the method of preparing it for a drink. Its almost a ritual, so much that along with absinthe bottles, you usually have a box of absinthe accessories sold. From Wikipedia - .....absinthe is poured into a glass over which a specially designed slotted spoon is placed. A sugar cube is then deposited in the bowl of the spoon. Ice-cold water is poured or dripped over the sugar until the drink is diluted 3:1 to 5:1. During this process, the components that are not soluble in water, mainly those from anise, fennel and star anise, come out of solution and cloud the drink; the resulting milky opalescence is called the louche.The addition of water is important, causing the herbs to 'blossom' and bringing out many of the flavours originally overpowered by the anise. For most people, a good quality absinthe should not require sugar, but it is added according to taste and will also thicken the mouth-feel of the drink. The major Swiss distillers recommend their absinthes without the addition of sugar.
Some famous users of absinthe have been - Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Oscar wilde (who describes his feeling after having Absinthe as that of "feeling tulips on his legs")and Ernest Hemingway.
So the next time you spot a bottle of Absinthe, buy it up for the sake of owning & drinking something almost illicit !!! And then when you get hit by the "clear headed drunkeness" that its supposed to bring about; go on and post a message here :)
Private Reply to Loveleen Arun (new win) |
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