Strange food (and drink)
Absinthe is a very strong distilled alcohol, traditionally flavored with wormwood, anise and fennel. It is sometimes know as “the green fairy”.
History
It was very popular in France in the early 1900s, and was rumored to be very dangerous for mental and physical health because of a chemical, thujone, in the wormwood. The observed behavioral problems were more likely due to poor quality base alcohol or alcohol withdrawal in the case of alcoholics, and not the wormwood or thujone. Absinthe is conditionally legal in the US, and has started to reappear on the US market after a 95 year absence. There are regulations concerning the amount of thujone allowed in Absinthe, and it was thought for a long time that traditional recipes for Absinthe would far exceed the maximum amount of thujone allowed. Now Absinthe is very much on the market.
Search for Absinthe
I was in New Seasons a few months ago, and saw a picture of Absinthe on the cover of Imbibe magazine. Read the article here. It piqued my curiosity, and I was determined to try it. Living in Oregon makes acquiring unusual alcohol a bit more difficult, because we have state run liquor stores. After several months of trying to find a local source or location that served it (being cheap, and not wanting to buy a whole bottle), I stumbled across Clyde Common, part of Portland’s so called “Golden Age of Dining and Drinking”, which carries and serves Absinthe.
I immediately went there, tried some, and loved it.
Preparing Absinthe for drink
The traditional way of preparing absinthe to drink involves pouring the absinthe into a glass, putting a slotted absinthe spoon over the glass, resting on the rim, with a sugar cube on it, then slowly dripping water onto the sugar cube into the glass. This turns the absinthe from a clear green to a creamy green as the herbal mixture separates from the alcohol when mixed with water, creating the “louche”. Here’s a video of how to prepare absinthe.
Many people prepare absinthe by burning the sugar cube before pouring water over it, but this is not the most traditional way, and in my opinion, doesn’t add much to the experience. Other people think so too.
Here’s a picture of Absinthe being served at Clyde Common, with the sugar on fire, just to try it.
Making Absinthe
An herbal mixture, usually containing grande wormwood (artemisia absinthium), green anise, and fennel, is macerated (crushed). Then a very strong, neutral spirit, such as beet or grape alcohol, is added to the macerated herbs, then distilled to a clear or clear-green liquid.
Absinthe: The Green Fairy
Monday, June 30, 2008
