Absinthe Green Fairyis an alcoholic drink with an interesting history. Being developed as an elixir or tonic in the 18th century it is now among the most controversial and popular drinks of all time.
Absinthe is 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 made from herbs. 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. 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 reason of Absinthe to cloud or louche is the insolubility of oils in water.
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. A few well known Absinthe drinkers are Vincent Van Gough, Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Charles Baudelaire, Edgar Degas, Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde. A lot of writers and artists were impressed with Absinthe believing that it gave them inspiration and 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. France banned Absinthe in 1915 because of it’s relation with the murder of a family and increasing alcohol addiction in this nation. Except the Czech Republic, the UK, Spain and Portugal it was banned in all the countries.
The psychedelic effects of intaking the Green Fairy was due to the chemical thujone present in wormwood. People thought that there were similariyies between thujone and THC in cannabis. Alcohol and ethanol are the main contents of Absinthe. Studies prove that Absinthe is just as safe as any other strong drink and the alcohol content in it can be harmful not the thujone. Numerous studies and articles have been written on the subject. It should be drunk in appropriate quantity because it is approximately twice as strong as vodka or whisky.
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. Now, in 2008, Absinthe is legal in many countries although thujone levels are controlled in the EU and the United States only allows Absinthe with trace amounts of thujone to be bought and sold.
A person can visit websites to buy Absinthe or order Absinthe essences.An individual can make his own Absinthe Green Fairy to bottle at home by going through the website. Real Absinthe and Absinthe essences contain the vital ingredient wormwood but some new Absinthes, produced for the US market, do not contain thujone.
Absinthe Green Fairy is mixed with champagne for a truly decadent drink!