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interesting concoction, that absinthe w/ice-cold water poured over sugar cubes through a tea strainer. not so bad after all.
The traditional ritual for serving absinthe is to pour ice-cold water over a cube of sugar that is resting on a slotted spoon. Typically 3 - 5 portions of water to one portion of absinthe. The slotted spoon is suspended over a glass with the portion of absinthe. The cold water dissolves the sugar, both entering the glass to mix with the absinthe. As the cold water mixes with the absinthe, it clouds, this effect is called the "louche".
yum
Absinthe (also absinth) is a distilled, highly alcoholic, anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs including the flowers and leaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called grand wormwood. Although it is sometimes incorrectly called a liqueur, absinthe is not bottled with added sugar and is therefore classified as a liquor or spirit.
The Czech- or Bohemian-style absinth lacks many of the oils in absinthe that create the louche, and a modern ritual involving fire was created to take this into account. In this ritual, absinth is added to a glass and a sugar cube on a spoon is placed over it. The sugar cube is soaked in absinth then set on fire. The cube is then dropped into the absinth setting it on fire, and water is added until the fire goes out, normally a 1:1 ratio. The crumbling sugar can provide a minor simulation of the louche seen in traditional absinthe, and the lower water ratio enhances effects of the high-strength alcohol.
Absinthe is often referred to as la Fée Verte ('The Green Fairy') because of its coloring — typically a naturally created pale or emerald green, but sometimes clear or artificially colored. Due to its high proof and concentration of oils, absintheurs (absinthe drinkers) typically add three to five parts ice-cold water to a dose of absinthe, which causes the drink to turn cloudy, called 'louching,' (unlike with wine, in which louche is a bad thing, in absinthe is it a sign of a high quality bottle); often the water is used to dissolve added sugar to decrease bitterness. This preparation is considered an important part of the experience of drinking absinthe, so much so that it has become ritualized, complete with special slotted absinthe spoons and other accoutrements. Absinthe's flavor is similar to anise-flavored liqueurs, with a light bitterness and greater complexity imparted by multiple herbs.
Absinthe originated in Switzerland as an elixir/tincture, used in a similar capacity as patent medicines would be used later in the United States. However it is better known for its popularity in late 19th and early 20th century France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers whose romantic associations with the drink still linger in popular culture. In its heyday, the most popular brand of absinthe worldwide was Pernod Fils. At the height of this popularity, absinthe was portrayed as a dangerously addictive, psychoactive drug; the chemical thujone was blamed for most of its deleterious effects. By 1915, it was banned in a number of European countries and the United States. Even though it was vilified, no evidence shows it to be any more dangerous than ordinary alcohol.
In the Netherlands, the ban was successfully challenged by the Amsterdam wine seller Menno Boorsma in July 2004, making absinthe legal once again. Belgium, as part of an effort to simplify its laws, removed its absinthe law on the first of January 2005, citing (as did the Dutch judge) European food regulations as sufficient to render the law unnecessary (and indeed, in conflict with the spirit of the Single European Market).
It is once again legal to produce and sell absinthe in practically every country where alcohol is legal, the major exception being the United States. It is not, however, illegal to possess or consume absinthe in the United States. Despite the ban, it is obtainable in a small number of establishments around the United States, notably one in New Orleans, though typically locating those establishments is achieved via word of mouth.
The only other countries where it is believed that absinthe may not be sold are Singapore and Norway. Norwegian law forbids the sale of alcohol stronger than 60 percent by volume, which is applicable to many brands of absinthe.
source: WIKIPEDIA
Absinthe, rich in medicinal herbs colored by natural chlorophyll, what's not to love? This print features a ghostly louche, escaping the eye sockets of a skull.
Edition of 2. Printed on Bristol 12 1/2" x 17"
from the Swizzle Stick Bar at Café Adelaide.
1-1/2 to 2 ounces absinthe (to taste)
1/2 ounce orgeat
1 egg white
1 dash orange flower water (optional)
2 ounces heavy cream
1/2 cup crushed or cubed ice