Absinthe Green Fairy is an alcoholic drink with an interesting history. It was prepared as a tonic in the 18th century and became one of the most controversial and famous drinks of all time.
One can found Absinthe incredibly strong between 45 and 75% Alcohol by volume. It is named as “Green Fairy” due to it’s emerald green color. It is a distilled liquor prepared from herbs. The common herbs tend to be wormwood, green aniseed and fennel. Henri-Louis Pernod, who first commercially distilled Absinthe, used other herbs such as hyssop, lemon balm, nutmeg, juniper, veronica, star anise and dittany to produce his famous original Pernod Absinthe recipe. The herbs like calamus were used by some manufacturers which was thought to be psychoactive. When the chilled water is poured over the sugar on the Absinthe spoon the essential oil extract from the herbs causes Absinthe to louche. The oils are not water soluble and so cause the Absinthe to cloud or louche.
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 come under popular Absinthe drinkers. Absinthe gave inspirations and their genius to various writers and artists. Painters like Van Gogh and Picasso gave emphasis on Absinthe and Absinthe drinkers in their paintings.
Absinthe’s association with old Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge and the Bohemian sect, was only the relieve required by prohibition campaigners. Absinthe was linked with the murder of a family and the growing problem of alcohol addiction in France so the campaigners raised their hands against the legalization of Absinthe in France. Many countries banned it but it remained legal in the Czech Republic, the UK, Spain and Portugal.
The chemical thujone, present in wormwood, was blamed for the psychedelic effects of drinking the Green Fairy. People thought thujone to be same as the THC in cannabis. However Absinthe is mainly alcohol, ethanol, and therefore only contains minute quantities of thujone. There is no harmful effects of Absinthe and it is the alcohol content not the thujone that is dangerous. There are various studies and articles written on the subject. It can be a drink which gives pleasure if consumed in moderation.
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.
A person can visit websites to buy Absinthe or order Absinthe essences.Bottled Absinthe Green Fairy can also be made at home by visiting the site. Real Absinthe and Absinthe essences contain the vital ingredient wormwood but some new Absinthes produced for the US market are free from the thujone content.
Absinthe Green Fairy is a delicious spirit which can be used in cocktails – mix with champagne for a truly dissolute drink!