Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Very Retro Wednesday......






Absinthe....
The Green Fairy!!
In 1915 The United States and all but 7 or 8 countries around the world, banned the manufacturing and importing of this strange and exotic beveridge.
Most of the great literary minds, and artists of the late 19th century, loved sipping this very potent potable!
It is distilled from different herbs, but primarily Artemisia Absinthium or Wormwood!
It has a very strong Anise flavor, and there is a sort of 'Ritual' to drinking it.
You pour about 1/3 of glass full of Absinthe, and across the top of the glass you lay a slotted spoon. Next you put a sugar cube on the spoon, and very slowly pour ice water over the sugar cube until it dissolves. The Absinthe turns a milky cloudy white, and then you sip it!
You have to be careful with this stuff because some of it is as high as 75% alcohol!
And the Wormwood has a drug in it called Thujone. This is why it was banned, it packed such a wallop that many of the great artistic minds of the day turned into raving lunatics. Lautrec, Van Gogh, Monet, and Oscar Wilde to name a few.
It wasn't banned as a drug, oddly enough Wormwood was banned as a food additive.
A less-powerful version of Absinthe has been used for years...Pernod!
The bottle that you see in the last 2 pics, I have had since about 1989. I imported it from Great Britain, but it was made in The Czech Republic. I imported 3 bottles in all, and over the years I have pulled them out and did the 'Ritual' when I wanted my guests to feel 'Bohemian'..hahahahahaha.
As of 2007, Absinthe is no longer vilified. In fact you can now legally import it and even manufacture it in The States. But the Thujone level is quite low in the Wormwood used.
This stuff that I have is ASS-KICKIN!!

Ahh...La Fe'e Verte...Sacre Coeur!!!

Peace...!!!

20 comments:

Serena said...

I've never tasted Absinthe. I think the thought of wormwood kept me from it. To each his own, though. ¡Salud!

lime said...

you should wander over to lecram's place. he is a fan of the green fairy too.

Lynn said...

My niece is married to a man from Turkey and the Turkish party guests at their wedding introduced us to something similar - Raki. Oh the hangover I had from that was legendary. Never again. :)

Fireblossom said...

Yes, all those old timey artistes were mad for the stuff, so they say.

Monkey Man said...

Rodrigez. Didn't mean to pierce your thin skin ;-)

Anonymous said...

I've never tasted that. Pass the bottle would ya :)

forever lost said...

my son told me about this stuff (and he does lots of strange stuff LOL) but hey if it could bring the artist out in me that would be tempting!

Hmmm Some reason our government just wants to water down everything! hard to find kick ass anything! Even Dr Pepper use to taste a little peppery!
Next time I will know where to look for the fairy though!

Shadow said...

that stuff is the worst tasting stuff i've ever put in my mouth...

the walking man said...

Leave out the sugar and the water ad go for the green undiluted says I.

Mona said...

Neat!

Nessa said...

I love the idea of drinking Absinthe, you know, for the whole writer/artist thing, but I don't like licorice so I don't think I'd like it although I'm willing to give it a try. And since it's green and referred to as a fairy I should be all over it. I wonder if my relatives in Austria can get me the real stuff?

petra michelle; Whose role is it anyway? said...

When you start selling, please let me know, G-Man! ;)

Lulda Casadaga said...

Never tried the Absinthe, but had some Pernod...not into Anise/Licorice tasting liquor. When I was younger tried it and was laughing and it went up my nose. Burn...Baby...Burn.

So, I stick to my Wine and occasional G&T or Scotch & water.

Jessie said...

very cool retro!

buffalodick said...

I heard it was legal again.. Good info!

Akelamalu said...

I've never had Absinthe but I have drank Pernod, Ouzo (Greek), and Raki (Turkish) and I love them all. I think we can buy Absinthe here - I may try it. :)

Breazy said...

Never tasted but I think I know a few people in my life that have...lol!

Dulçe ♥ said...

Good temptation for an alcoholic.
I feel that fire from throat to belly as I think of it. I'll keep on my 'light'beers.
Smiles***

G-Man said...

Hi Everybody..
I'll be out of town starting tomorrow. But I will not be incommunicado!
I'm very very busy at work cleaning up my month end mess from September. I won't be commenting much...sorry. But I will fulfill my 55 obligations...
Carry On...Galen

secret agent woman said...

Did you know a Pope years ago endorsed a cocaine-laced wine called Coca Vino?