The green fairy
Green Fairy Absinthe
Absinthe the Green Fairy is a beverage that has some facinating history to it. Developed as an elixir or tonic in the 18th century it is now one of the most controversial and famous drinks of all time.
45 to 75% Alcohol by volume makes Absinthe an anise flavored spirit incredibly strong. Emerald green color gives it the name “La Fee Verte” in French and “Green /fairy” in English. It is a distilled liquor made from herbs. Fennel, green aniseed, and wormwood or Artemisia Absinthium are the main herbs. 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 feeling was that herbs like wormwood, nutmeg, and calamus which only a few manufacturers used were psychoactive in nature. The cause of the louche effect when water is poured on the Absinthe spoon is due to the essential oils from the herbs. Absinthe louches or clouds when water is added as the oils present in it are not soluble in water.
Absinthe La Fee Verte or Green Fairy and the world of Artists
Absinthe famously inspired writers and artists who were associated with the Bohemian culture of the old Montmartre area in Paris. Absinthe drinkers included great writers and painters like Charles Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde, Van Gogh, Picasso and many others. Genius and Inspiration were attributed by many artists and writers to Absinthe. Painters like Picasso and Van Gogh were so enamoured by absinthe that they featured Absinthe Drinkers and Absinthe in some of their paintings.
Absinthe’s association with the Bohemian sect, Moulin Rouge, and Old Montmartre proved to be its undoing as it was just the excuse the prohibition campaigners were looking for. Campaigners of prohibition linked Absinthe wrongly to murder of a family and the growing alcohol addiciton and got it declared ilegal and finally banned in the year 1915. It was legal in countries like the UK, Spain, Portugal, and the Czech whereas all other countries banned it.
Drinking the Green Fairy causes psychedelic effects and thujone which is present in wormwood was blamed for it. Thujone was considered to be similar to THC present in cannabis. Thujone is present in very small quantity in Absinthe, alcohol and ethanol are the main ingredients. Finally research has shown that it is the high alcohol content in Absinthe and not thujone that is dangerous. Many studies have been conducted and numerous articles written on the subjet. For pleasure drink it in moderation as it is twice as strong as whisky and vodka.
Absinthe served in large glasses and surroundings decorated with vintage Absinthe posters was patronised by many people in the Czech Republic during the time of prohibition. Absinthe became legal in many countries by 2008, the EU controlls the thujone levels while the US allows only that absinthe which has only trace amount of thujone.
Absinthe bottle or absinthe essence can be purchased online at AbsintheKit.com) to make your own Absinthe the Green Fairy or La Fee Verte to bottle at home. Wormwood is the vital ingredient in real Absinthe essences and Absinthe, however, new Absinthes produced exclusively for the US market do not contain any thujone.
Absinthe or the Green Fairy champagne can be mixed with this delicious spirit to prepare a woderful decandent drink! Just for your Knowledge Asinthe kit is the best way to get economical Absinthe.