Absinthe spoons,Absinthe glasses, fountains, drippers and brouillers are all collectively known as Absinthiana and are the accoutrements used in the preparation of Absinthe. Original items are now highly valued by collectors and you see such antiques and collectibles being sold for quite substantial amount of money.

The replicas are the good option against the original Absinthiana.AbsintheKit.com can help in preparing perfect Absinthe in style.

Types of Absinthe Spoons

Absinthe spoons, cuilleres, were introduced in the 1880s to make Absinthe preparation easier. Previously perforated cups over Absinthe glasses had been used. These spoons were made pierced or slotted through which sugar and water drip into the absinthe.

Absinthe spoons or cuilleres come in various forms and are also made out of numerous different kinds of metal including silver, nickel and chrome. There are over 375 varieties of Absinthe spoon according to Marie-Claude Delahaye.
“les feuilles d’Absinthe” are part of the French Pelle which have got Absinthe foliage designs on them. Also in this group is the famous spoon design featuring the Eiffel Tower which was designed to commemorate the opening of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.
The second group of Absinthe spoons is known as “les Grilles” or “Les Grillagees”. The final group is known as “Les cuilleres” which has a long handle and a cradle for holding sugar cubes.

“Les Cuilleres de Poilus” is among the most famous Absinthe spoons. French soldiers created these Cuillere spoons using the materials like shell casings, aluminum, tin and brass. These spoons were only made at the start of the war because Absinthe was banned in France in 1915. To fit them in their own drinking cups soldiers designed these spoons. One can find these beautiful and unique spoons as highly collectible antiques.

Absinthe was banned because of the alleged psychedelic and psychoactive effects of thujone, the chemical found in the herb wormwood which is a major ingredient in Absinthe. Several nations legalized Absinthe in the 1990s after it was claimed that Absinthe was no more harmful than any other strong liquor and contained only small quantity of thujone.

The Absinthe Ritual

There is a ritual to be followed by lovers of the Green Fairy (Absinthe). Following things are needed to make the perfect Absinthe
- Importance of an Absinthe spoon
- An Absinthe Glass
- Absinthe
- Iced Water
A few people would like to use an Absinthe fountain, brouiller or carafe for the water.
The process of preparing Absinthe
-25-50ml of Absinthe should be poured into the glass.
- After resting Absinthe spoon on the glass place a cube of sugar on it.
- The iced water should be slowly dripped onto the sugar cube. The louche is visible from the bottom of the glass.
Louching or clouding is the result of insolubility of the essential oils in water. The finished drink should be milky or cloudy looking.

The perfect ratio of water and Absinthe is between 3:1 and 5:1 according to taste.

The Absinthe ritual can become entertaining with the use of Absinthe spoons and other Absinthiana.