Absinthe: A Little Green Fairy and Her Green Friends

One famous, or dare I say infamous, drink with a notable name would be the intricately served and uniquely prepared botanical concoction that is absinthe. Even the spirit's very name is taken from one of its primary components, that being the leaves and flowers of Artemisia absinthium, also known as grand wormwood and green ginger. What started as a Swiss spirit during the 18th century flourished among the Parisians of the 19th and early 20th centuries before being banned in most of the United States and Europe by 1915. Most historians will reason that the criminalization of this drink was due to the French wine industry (which suffered noticeable drops in profits due to the competition) as well as overemphasizing the drink's status as an addictive psychoactive substance. The latter case is due to the presence of thujone; while it is an addictive psychoactive chemical, its presence within absinthe is barely noticeable.

Regarding the composition of absinthe, I should first clarify that anyone marketing the drink as a liqueur is making a basic mistake. Liqueurs are bottled with added sugar, absinthe is a spirit because it only comes as-is. Absinthe is comprised of Artemisia absinthium, sweet fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and a variety of other herbs and spices, including anise/aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) and star anise (Illicium verum). The namesake "green fairy" or "la fée verte," comes from the drink's description in historical literature, likely in reference to its lovely green coloration. However, it should be noted that absinthe need not be green; several clear varieties of absinthe have been produced over the years.
It dawns on me that I have not addressed the intricacies of serving the spirit, below is the French method.

• 1. Place a sugar cube above a specially slotted spoon, known as an absinthe spoon.

• 2. Place the spoon's head atop the glass which has been filled with absinthe.

• 3. Pour or drip ice water across the sugar cube, allowing the sugar water to dilute the spirit's potent 45-74% APV and giving the drink a progressively cloudy appearance from its herbal ingredients.

Absinthe is a legal substance again, with such a revival possible thanks to newer, more relaxed laws in Europe and the US. Heck, the United States is currently one of the leading producers of the spirit these days.   

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