Absinthe had been the favorite drink of several popular artists and writers.
Absinthe is a strong alcoholic beverage distilled at high proof but generally served diluted with iced water or in cocktails. The preparation of Absinthe liquor is done from a wine alcohol base and is flavored with herbs and essential oils together with wormwood, aniseed and fennel. Hyssop, lemon balm, star anise, angelica, juniper, nutmeg, dittany, calamus root and mint are also involved in the production of Absinthe.
Information about Absinthe History
Absinthe has a very long and interesting history. Wormwood has been used in medicine since ancient times. According to the legend Absinthe was created by a French doctor, Dr Pierre Ordinaire in the late 18th century, in the Swiss town of Couvet. Ordinaire used it on his patients, as an elixir, with miraculous results.
Henri-Louis Pernod distilled Absinthe by using the Absinthe recipe in Couvet and under the name of Pernod Fils in Pontarlier. Everyday the production of Absinthe was 30,000 liters by the Pernod company!
Absinthe was a popular drink in France, in La Belle Epoque, and also many other countries. Absinthe became the favorite drink of the French people. Health and the effects of Absinthe was also considered at the same time. The liquor was linked to the Bohemian culture of Montmartre with its loose morals and artists and writers. The psychedelic effects, convulsions, insanity, brain damage and death was believed to be the causes from thujone.
Van Gogh’s insanity and his suicide, murder of a family and the rising rate of alcohol abuse in France were the events for which Absinthe was blamed. Absinthe was unauthorized in the USA and in France in the year 1912 and 1915 respectively. Absinthe was unauthorized in other countries also.
Absinthe Revival
During the ban, people either drank absinthe substitutes, such as Pernod Pastis, or bought bootleg Absinthe. Studies and research proved that the claims made about Absinthe were not true.
Studies showed that Absinthe was no more dangerous than consuming other strong alcoholic beverages, such as whisky and vodka, and that Absinthe contained only very small amounts of thujone – not enough to cause any harmful side effects.
The EU legalized Absinthe with up to 10mg/kg of thujone in the late 20th century and in 2007 the USA legalized certain brands of Absinthe which contained up to 10 ppm of thujone .
France, home of Pernod’s original Absinthe still has a ban on products labeled “Absinthe” and France also strictly regulates drinks containing fenchone, a chemical in fennel which is a key ingredient in Absinthe. To be sold in France, Absinthes have to be called another name like “spirit a base de plantes d’absinthe” and only contain up to 5mg per liter of fenchone.
Absinthe is now available from various sources.AbsintheKit.com is the website giving full information about Absinthe essences. They also sell replica Absinthe glasses and spoons like a Pontarlier glass and Eiffel Tower spoon.
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