Recipes To Share

Posts Tagged ‘vintage Absinthe posters’

Absinthe Green Fairyis an alcoholic drink with an interesting history. Developed as an elixir or tonic in the 18th century it is now one of the most controversial and famous drinks of all time.

Between 45 and 75% Alcohol by volume Absinthe is incredibly strong. It is emerald green in color, hence the name “Green Fairy” or in French “La Fee Verte”. There is utilization of herbs in the preparation of this distilled liquor. The three main herbs tend to be wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), green aniseed and fennel (fennell). Henri-Louis Pernod was the first to commercially distilled Absinthe used other herbs to produce his famous original Pernod Absinthe recipe. A few producers also used the herb calamus which was believed to be psychoactive along with wormwood and nutmeg. As soon as the iced water is poured over the sugar on the Absinthe spoon it causes Absinthe to louche. The reason of Absinthe to cloud or louche is the insolubility of oils in water.

Absinthe Green Fairy and the Art World

Absinthe is famous for inspiring many artists and writers associated with the Bohemian culture of the Montmartre area of Paris. Some of the famous Absinthe drinkers are Vincent Van Gough, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Charles Baudelaire, Edgar Degas, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. Absinthe gave inspirations and their genius to various writers and artists. Van Gogh and Picasso are among the painters who featured Absinthe and Absinthe drinkers in their paintings.

Absinthe’s association with old Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge and the Bohemian sect, was just the excuse that prohibition campaigners needed. France banned Absinthe in 1915 because of it’s relation with the murder of a family and increasing alcohol addiction in this nation. It was restricted in most of the countries.

The chemical thujone, present in wormwood was thought to be the reason behind the psychedelic effects. There were no difference between thujone and THC in cannabis according to the people. However Absinthe is mainly alcohol, ethanol, and therefore only contains minute quantities of thujone. There is no harmful effects of Absinthe and it is the alcohol content not the thujone that is dangerous. Many studies and articles have been written on the subject. If you remember that it is about twice as strong as vodka or whisky and drink it with care and in moderation, it is simply a drink which gives pleasure.

During the time of prohibition many people enjoyed buying and drinking vintage style Absinthe in Absinthe bars in the Czech Republic, served in the classic Absinthe large glassesand in surroundings decorated with vintage Absinthe posters. Today Absinthe is legal in many countries with controlled thujone levels and the United States only allows Absinthe with decent quantity of thujone.

A person can visit websites to buy Absinthe or order Absinthe essences.A person can make his own bottled Absinthe Green Fairy by going through the website. Real Absinthe and Absinthe essences contain the vital ingredient wormwood but some new Absinthes produced for the US market are free from the thujone content.

Absinthe Green Fairy is a delicious spirit and can be used in cocktails too – mix with champagne for a truly decadent drink!