The Absinthe fairy was used on Absinthe label and posters. Artists and writers used to drink the Green Fairy Absinthe in the film Moulin Rouge which was based on the french Bohemian culture of Montmartre in Paris.
Absinthe Fairy Followers
Famous devotees of La Fee Verte, the Green Fairy, were Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Charles Baudelaire, Paul Gauguin, Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway who created his own Absinthe cocktail “Death in the Afternoon” – a mix of Absinthe and champagne. Absinthe not only gave writers and artists their genius and their inspiration but also most pieces of art of the time highlight Absinthe or Absinthe drinkers. The Belle Epoque period of history is known as the hey day for Absinthe.
Herbs and essential oils are used to make Absinthe. The herb wormwood is it’s vital ingredient which is an extract of the plant wormwood or artemisia absinthium. The characteristic bitter taste and anise flavor of Absinthe comes from wormwood and herbs respectively.
Thujone, a chemical found in wormwood oil, was thought to be psychoactive and to give psychedelic effects, cause hallucinations and eventually insanity. In 1915 the loose morals of the drinkers in Montmartre gave prohibition campaigners ammunition to restrict Absinthe in France. The buying or selling of Absinthe was banned. It was banned in many other countries also. It was not illegal to sell Absinthe in Spain, Portugal, the UK and the Czech Republic.
Absinthe Fairy and Prohibition
During the prohibition period, distilleries, such as the Pernod Fils distillery, started producing Absinthe substitutes such as Pernod Pastis to market to the people who were missing the anise flavor of Absinthe. Ricard was one of the substitute of Absinthe.
In many countries bootleg absinthe was still distilled and sold and fortunately this has meant that knowledge regarding the distilling of Absinthe has never been lost.
Being home of Absinthe Switzerland had to wait until 2005 for Absinthe’s legalization. You can now buy Absinthe and Absinthe essence kits online along with Absinthiana such as glasses, spoons and fountains. One can add to the Absinthe preparation ritual by drinking it out of a special antique or replica glass with a proper spoon.
As per studies the thujone content in Absinthe is very less so it was not restricted in many countries. Although Absinthe is much higher in alcohol than other spirits but it was never designed to drink neat. One should mix it with iced water to enjoy La Louche – the clouding that happens when the water mixes with the alcohol.
One can prepare his own bottled Absinthe by ordering real wormwood Absinthe and essences from many websites.com.