Thursday, January 15, 2009

Little Green Fairies

I've recently noticed a lot of bars popping up that serve absinthe. You remember the spirit that was known to inspire artists and had them seeing little green fairies that had been banned for 95 years. It occurred to me that this might be a fun gift for someone seeking inspiration.

*The serving of absinthe is something of a ritual, involving as it does pouring water over lumps of sugar sitting on special spoons. The ritual arose because vintage absinthe was unsweetened and slightly too bitter for some palates, and the sugar needed to sweeten it would not dissolve in the liqueur’s 68% to 72% alcohol content. By the time the drink was banned there were over a hundred different designs of spoons.
Step 1: Pour a measure of absinthe into a tall glass.
Step 2: Place a slotted absinthe spoon over the glass and place a sugar cube on it
Step 3: Slowly pour 4 to 5 parts of iced water over the sugar and let it drip into the glass. The absinthe will turn from emerald green to a milky white.
Step 4: Sip slowly and imagine yourself in a Belle Époque Parisian café

(*ritual link here)


There are several places online to find the spoons and glasses if you want to include them. I saw many on ebay including this set.

It seems obvious to put on the tag, "To cure the Absinthe Mindedness". However if you want something without a pun, "A bottle of inspiration."

Skip the sugar spoon and find more contemporary cocktails here.

Find absinthe here.

Wikipedia also has a very informative history here.

6 comments:

Courtney said...

I tried Absinthe for the first time a few months ago and despite the fact that I loathe liquorice, I loved it! It wasn't as strong as I'd thought and was fun to at least try once!

Uncle Beefy said...

Well...I have never tried it but my Francophile nature will inevitably see it happen. And you add a little ritual to it with vintage glasses and spoons? HELLO! Fab!

please sir said...

I haven't tried it, but I'm a little scared of it too!

Julia said...

I've always wondered about this! Thank you so much for the step by step directions!

jae said...

Courtney - glad to hear someone has tried it. I am not a huge fan of anise flavor either (However, love love love the red licorice).

U.B. - I know...how could it be anything but great with that kind of ritual?

Diana - Well, definitely don't drink the whole bottle!

Julia - I've been intriqued by it since Moulin Rouge. It certainly has a great history.....which is why I think it would make a successful gift!

Anonymous said...

You can find the same set at a lower price at Absinthe On The Net