There is an interesting history to the alcoholic dirink Absinthe Green Fairy. 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. It appears in emerald green in color, hence the name “Green Fairy” or in French “La Fee Verte”. A distilled liquor made from herbs. The three herbs that tend to be wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium) ,fennel (fennell) and green aniseed. Henri-Louis Pernod, The man who first commercially distilled Absinthe, used other herbs such as nutmeg, juniper,hyssop, lemon balm, veronica, star anise and dittany to make Pernod Absinthe recipe. Some manufacturers employed herb calamus 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 Is Amazing
Absinthe is known for inspiring many artists and writers of the Bohemian culture of the Montmartre area located at Paris. Public personalities like Vincent Van Gough, Paul Gauguin,Pablo Picasso,Charles Baudelaire, Edgar Degas, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde were Absinthe drinkers. Numerous artists and writers firmly beleive that Absinthe is behind the inspiration and genius they posses. Painters like Van Gogh and Picasso even featured Absinthe and Absinthe drinkers in their paintings.
Old Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge and the Bohemian sect and their association with Absinthe was just the excuse that prohibition campaigners needed. Absinthe made illegal and it was banned in France in 1915 after it was linked with murder of a family and the growing problem of alcohol addiction in France. Other countries of the world also banned it but Czech Republic, the UK, Spain and Portugal allowed its sale in their country.
The chemical thujone, present in wormwood, was considered for the psychedelic effects produced by drinking the Green Fairy. Thujone was thought to produce similar action like THC in cannabis. But Absinthe is principaly ethanol and therefore only contains minute quanitities of thujone. Research proves that Absinthe is just as safe as any other strong liquor and that it is the alcohol content not the thujone that is dangerous. Quite a few studies and articles have been written on the subject. 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.
At the time of Bann many people 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. Now, in 2008, Absinthe once again enjoys the legal status in many countries although thujone levels are controlled in most of these countries.
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 kit contains 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 truly refreshing drink!