Absinthe Green Fairy interesting history is worth noticing. Developed as an elixir or tonic in the 18th century it has now become famous drinks of all time.
Absinthe is an anise flavored spirit which is incredibly strong, between 45 and 75% Alcohol by volume. The name “Green Fairy” or in French “La Fee Verte” is due to its emerald green appearance. It is a distilled liquor produced by distillation with herbs. The three main herbs tend to be wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium) ,fennel (fennell) and green aniseed. Henri-Louis Pernod, the person who first commercially distilled Absinthe, used other herbs also to produce his famous original Pernod Absinthe recipe. Other ingrediants such as the herb calamus were used by some manufacturers and this herb along with wormwood and nutmeg were though to be psychoactive. It is the essential oil extract from the herbs which causes Absinthe to louche when iced water is poured over the sugar on the Absinthe spoon. The oils do not dissolve in water and so cause the Absinthe to louche.
Absinthe Green Fairy and the Art World
Absinthe is credited with inspiring a lot of artists and writers associated with the Bohemian culture of the Montmartre area in the capital city of France. Popular Absinthe drinkers include Vincent Van Gough, Pablo Picasso, Charles Baudelaire, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. Quite a few writers and artists claim that Absinthe was a great source of inspiration for them. Painters like Van Gogh and Picasso even featured Absinthe and Absinthe drinkers in their paintings.
Absinthe’s association tragedies like old Montmartre, Moulin Rouge and the Bohemian sect, was just the excuse that prohibition advocates needed. Once it was linked with growing problem of alcohol addiction in France and subsequently sale of Absinthe was made illegal and it was banned in France in 1915. Many other countries also banned it however it remained legal in the the UK, Czech Republic, Spain and Portugal.
The chemical commonly known as thujone and is present in wormwood is attributed for the psychedelic effects of drinking the Green Fairy. Thujone was thought to be similar to THC in cannabis. However Absinthe is mainly alcohol, ethanol, and therefore only contains minute quanitities of thujone. Research certifies that Absinthe is just as safe as any other strong liquor. Articles have been written on the subject extensively. 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 a lot of Absinthe fans enjoyed buying and drinking vintage style Absinthe in Absinthe bars in the Czech Republic, served in the classic Absinthe large glasses and in surroundings decorated with vintage Absinthe posters. As in 2008, Absinthe is legal in many countries although thujone levels are restricted in Europeian Union and US government only allows Absinthe with trace amounts of thujone to be bought and sold.
You can buy Absinthe online by the bottle or order Absinthe essences (visit the website AbsintheKit.com) to make your own Absinthe Green Fairy to bottle at home. Real Absinthe and Absinthe essences contain the vital ingredient wormwood but some new Absinthes, produced for the US market, do not contain thujone.
Absinthe Green Fairy is a delicious spirit to mix with champagne for a refreshing drink!