Absinthe Green Fairy is an alcoholic drink with an interesting history. In the 18th century it was developed as an elixir and today it is among the most controversial and popular drinks of all time.
Absinthe is an anise flavored spirit which is incredibly strong, between 45 and 75% Alcohol by volume. Because of it’s emerald green color it is known as “Green Fairy” or as “La Fee Verte” in French. Herbs are used to prepare this distilled liquor. The three main herbs tend to be wormwood (Artemisia Absinthium), green aniseed and fennel (fennell). Henri-Louis Pernod produce his famous original Pernod Absinthe recipe by utilizing herbs like hyssop, lemon balm, nutmeg, juniper, veronica, star anise and dittany. A few producers also used the herb calamus which was believed to be psychoactive along with wormwood and nutmeg. Because of the essential oil extract Absinthe louche when iced water is poured over the sugar on the Absinthe spoon. As the oils cannot mix with water so they cause the Absinthe to cloud.
Absinthe Green Fairy and the Art World
Absinthe is famous for inspiring many artists and writers associated with the Bohemian culture of the Montmartre area of Paris. Vincent Van Gough, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Charles Baudelaire, Edgar Degas, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde are popular Absinthe drinkers. Many writers and artists were convinced that Absinthe gave them inspiration and gave them their genius. A few paintings are also based on Absinthe and Absinthe drinkers.
Old Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge and the Bohemian sect were needed by the prohibition campaigners for an excuse. The link with the murder of a family and the growing problem of alcohol addiction in France were responsible for the restriction of Absinthe in France. It was never illegal in the Czech Republic, the UK, Spain and Portugal.
People believed that the chemical thujone was responsible for the psychedelic effects of drinking the Green Fairy. People thought thujone to be same as the THC in cannabis. Although Absinthe is mainly alcohol and ethanol but it also contains minute amount of thujone. According to the research Absinthe is just as safe as any other strong liquor and the alcohol content in it can harm anyone not the thujone. There are various studies and articles written on the subject. As it is twice strong than a vodka or a whisky so one must be careful about the amount while drinking it.
During the time of prohibition many people enjoyed buying and drinking vintage style Absinthe in Absinthe bars in the Czech Republic, served in the classic Absinthe large glassesand in surroundings decorated with vintage Absinthe posters. Absinthe is legal in various nations with thujone levels controlled by the EU and the United States only allows marketing of Absinthe with trace quantity of thujone.
Absinthe bottle or Absinthe essences can also be purchased from the Internet.An individual can make his own Absinthe Green Fairy to bottle at home by going through the website. Some new Absinthes which are made for the US market do not contain thujone.
Absinthe Green Fairy is a delicious spirit which can be used in cocktails – mix with champagne for a truly dissolute drink!