Absinthe and Mystical Illustrations
Absinthe enjoyed an almost mythological status during the 19th century. Dubbed la Fee Verte – meaning the Green Fairy – absinthe was said to both inspire artists and writers while driving them mad; many famous authors, from French absurdist Alfred Jarry to English romantic poets Edgar Allan Poe and Ernest Dowson all crediting absinthe with contributing their creativity.
Absinthe is a potent spirit containing thujone, an alkaloid found in wormwood that has mild hallucinogenic properties. To reduce its bitter taste and create its characteristic cloudy effect called le louche, Absinthe should usually be mixed with cold water before drinking it.
Absinthe’s cloudy appearance is truly mesmerizing; while it might not cause hallucinations, its first-time experience can still be intense. Absinthe preparation typically includes specific utensils including glasses, slotted spoons, sugar cubes and fountains that dispense cold water over sugar and absinthe; typically this ritual also features traditional European instruments like clarinet and piano as a backdrop.
Absinthe is currently enjoying a surge in popularity. It can be found as a key ingredient in several cocktails served at bars, restaurants and coffee shops worldwide, while it has also become increasingly prevalent in popular culture via movies, books and television shows that feature its use – for instance Kinzo from Japanese visual novel Umineko no Naku Koro ni regularly consumed absinthe and was eventually driven mad by it; US reality TV series Thirsty Traveler dedicated an episode solely to exploring absinthe distilleries and how this spirit was prepared; and US reality TV show The Thirsty Traveler dedicated an episode exploring absinthe distilleries as well as its process of creation;
