Absinthe: the Green Fairy’s Lullabies in Music
Absinthe can add flair to a prohibition-themed party or old-timey European cane-and-tophat night. It also lends music an ethereal quality. However, whether used as a base for cocktails or sipping it directly it is important that it is done so correctly for best results.
Ted Breaux was instrumental in getting absinthe back onto store shelves in America. A professional scientist and absinthe expert, he founded Lucid Absinthe and Jade Liqueurs and we asked him to address some of the most frequently held myths about absinthe. Here are five myths surrounding absinthe that should be dispelled –
Magnan’s claims were highly contentious, and were shared by others fearful of absinthe. As its waning popularity had become associated with moral decay – some physicians saw absinthe as an abortifacient while others thought it sterilized men and robbed the country of its warring factions – Magnan was not alone in harboring such concerns, and the absinthe ban became an official national crusade.
Absinthe is a strong alcoholic beverage distilled from Artemisia absinthium (known as grande wormwood) combined with anise, fennel and other herbs such as anise or fennel. It boasts 45-74% ABV or 90-148 proof, typically packaged without sugar to classify as spirit rather than liqueur and often served by slowly dripping cold water over a sugar cube on a special perforated spoon so as to cause it to “louche”, making cloudy!
