Absinthe is only a liquor after all

Jan 28, 2009 10:46 GMT  ·  By

Throughout time, much has been said about, and especially against, absinthe. Even if it was made legal again in the ‘90s in most countries, certain myths about this green spirit are still in place today, which makes many steer clear of it as if it were a drug. The truth is that absinthe is just an alcoholic drink like many others, but one that, if consumed by the book, can offer a truly extraordinary experience.

Absinthe is an anise-flavored drink made from herbs, whose green coloring is due to one of the main ingredients, the Artemisia absinthium plant, also known as wormwood. Its texture and taste are most obvious when served in certain conditions, which, legend has it, release the Green Fairy in the glass and have all sorts of psychoactive effects on the drinker.

Recent studies have shown that most absinthe-related myths are not founded, albeit explainable by the fascination bohemians of late 19th-early 20th century France felt towards it. It is, though, a most exquisite drink if served properly: in a special glass and with a special spoon. As it happens, absinthe is probably the only beverage to have a glass, a spoon and a verb especially made for its serving.

So, in order to enjoy absinthe as it was meant to be, a spotted spoon is required. It is placed on top of a glass in which a shot of the drink has already been poured and, in addition, a sugar cube. According to preferences, the sugar can be set aflame or not. Whichever of the two you might opt for, a carafe of ice-cold water must also be at hand.

As water is poured onto the sugar, the components that are not soluble in water (mainly those from anise, fennel, and star anise) come out, creating a milky cloud in a process known as “louche.” It is said that the water helps the flavors of absinthe “blossom,” making them more noticeable on the palate.

In times of old, it was believed that absinthe had hallucinatory properties, because it unleashed the Green Fairy, the muse of many a writer, and not only in France. Because it was linked to black magic and was considered highly addictive, starting with 1900 or so, countries began to legally ban it in what was seen as a complete revolution against a now-defunct lifestyle. “Absinthe makes you crazy and criminal, provokes epilepsy and tuberculosis, and has killed thousands of French people. It makes a ferocious beast of man, a martyr of woman, and a degenerate of the infant, it disorganizes and ruins the family and menaces the future of the country.” critics used to say.

Happily, this is no longer the case. With the US being the last to start producing absinthe again (in 2007), people with a finer taste and looking for an uncommon experience can now purchase the drink freely – and enjoy it to the maximum.