Absinthe Obsession

While traipsing through Europe during my undergraduate days, I had an extended stay in Prague because of a rail worker strike, leaving me plenty of time indulge my Absinthe fixation. Back in those days (not so long ago, actually) absinthe was illegal in the United States due to (erroneous) concerns over the hallucinogenic effects of wormwood. The cheesy tourist bars I frequented put on quite a show for the naive young tourists, complete with flaming sugar cubes. As it happens, traditionally absinthe soaked sugar cubes are not set on fire and mixed into absinthe. The flaming practice was probably introduced in the 1990s to cover the taste of cheap faux absinthe (which I most likely consumed in Prague).

An Authentic Absinthe Experience–How to Drink Absinthe

A few weeks ago I had my first authentic absinthe experience at the aptly named Absinthe Brasserie and Bar in San Francisco.  My  absinthe arrived in a small glass with a flat slotted “absinthe spoon,” a sugar cube and a small carafe of water. I poured the water over the sugar cube into the glass. The amount of water added and the amount of sugar added is entirely at the customer’s discretion. I added all the sugar and most of the water…that stuff is STRONG!

As I poured water into the absinthe I noticed that it turned a milky white.  Some of the components of absinthe are poorly soluble in water, so they precipitate out of the water/alcohol solution and cause the color change (and a flavor change). I recommend trying little sips of your absinthe beverage at regular intervals as you add water, this will allow you to determine what ratio you like best for next time.

Absinthe is strongly licorice (anise) flavored. As I added water the licorice flavor became less overwhelming and I could taste some of the other flavors in my drink. Even after adding all the water and sugar I still thought the drink was still very strong, and I have a very high tolerance for the taste of alcohol. I am not actually a licorice fan, so I probably will not be ordering much absinthe in the future. But, it is worth trying at least once!

Serving Absinthe at Home

Absinthe is a wonderful addition to any home bar, IF it is high quality. Serving Absinthe before a meal (always before-it is an aperitif) with all the accoutrement is a wonderful conversation starter. Absinthe also makes a nice addition to mixed drinks (I’ve added a few recipes at the end of this article). In terms of brands- Pernod absinthe is always a safe bet, the Pernod brand was the most popular before absinthe was banned and Pernod still makes a great product. Vieux Pontarlier is another great choice for your home bar, as is Marteau Absinthe de la Bell Epoque.

If you are going to splash out on a bottle of absinthe, you should indulge in having the appropriate bar ware. Websites specializing in absinthe accessories are just a Google search away, but I recommend checking out eBay as well (search: absinthe bar ware). Minimally, I think a traditional flat slotted absinthe spoon is required to serve absinthe at home. A traditional pontarlier glass will make pouring a cinch, and add a final bit of flair. Of course, you need sugar cubes from your local grocer too. Unless you are starting your own bar, I think anything  else is really unnecessary.

Absinthe Cocktail Recipes

	Death in the Afternoon Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly. -Ernst Hemmingway
	Sacred Heart 1½ oz La Pinta Pomegranate Tequila ¾ oz Kübler absinthe ½ oz Pallini limoncello ¼ oz lemon juice Shake and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. -Absinthe Brasserie and Bar

You can use Absinthe for a Vermouth replacement in most things. For more drinks, and some food pairings check out Top 5 Absinthe Cocktails on Epicurious.

Images from Epicurious, Sloshed, Moulin Rouge, Wikipedia, The Mixology Lab and Marteau