Tammy Bruce: Legends of the Green Faerie

Legends of the Green Faerie

An Inquiry by Maynard

I've been curious about the beverage known as absinthe. It was the legendary tipple of pseudointellectual elites in first half of the 20th century. These Lost Generation souls would hang out at the absinthe dives of Paris or maybe New Orleans to contemplate and pontificate. They drank ritualistically, carefully filtering the bitter green liquid through sugar in a special spoon as it dripped into an icy glass. The result of imbibing was said to yield an extremely clear state of inebriation; perfect for artists and writers and the like. However, as the movements for prohibition grew, absinthe was especially vilified, and was largely banned or suppressed.

In recent years, there has been something of a revival of absinthe in Europe. With the lifting of bans, many brands have appeared, although prices are high. In the United States, absinthe resides in a grey zone: It's legal to possess but illegal to sell. As a practical matter, expensive bottles can be ordered from overseas.

There remains much mystery about what made absinthe magical. It is derived from several herbs, including wormwood; thus it included a trace of the psychoactive drug thujone. Although the actual numbers aren't known, some researchers believe there simply wasn't enough thujone in absinthe to account for its strange reputation. Possibly there was a mysterious synergy between the various herbs. Or perhaps the special effect was largely a mass illusion; a product of elaborate environments and luminary enthusiasts.

I suppose the only way to know for sure is to try the stuff. As I said, it's available but overpriced. I'd give it a try if I could buy a bottle from the American heartland. But as a matter of principle, I'm not willing to send my hard-earned money to Europe Peons for an overpriced luxury.

Alternatively, there are "absinthe kits" to be had. These involve soaking a collection of herbs in a bottle of Everclear (a high-proof vodka) and later filtering out the sludge. The results are questionable; some people claim to enjoy the stuff, but others sneer, and liken the effort to mixing grape juice with vodka and claiming you've made fine wine.

Here's an interesting article, The Return of the Green Faerie, describing one man's experience with modern absinthe. Don't take this as the final word on the subject; as with all questions of taste and subjective experience, every opinion can and will be argued endlessly.

Posted by Maynard · October 4, 2006 03:12 AM · Permalink
Drugs | Food/Drink | Maynard Post

Comments

i remembered seeing a couple of old movies in which absinthe played a sinister role in the dissolution of the main character ... so i noticed it when the hallucinogenic green liquor turned up in last summer's disappearance at sea--the "modern mystery surrounding a Greenwich man who vanished from his honeymoon cruise last summer. Passengers say that absinthe, made from grain alcohol and the common herb wormwood, was consumed by a group of men last seen with George Allen Smith IV on July 5, the day he disappeared from a Royal Caribbean cruise of the Mediterranean. ... "In large amounts it would certainly make people see strange things and behave in a strange manner," said Jad Adams, author of the book, "Hideous Absinthe: A History of the Devil in a Bottle." (Bostom.com 1-22-6)

i wonder if those responsible for the bridegroom's disappearance will ever be caught ...
if not, may wormwood rot their souls ... in Europe.

Posted by: Angel at October 4, 2006 09:24 AM

It does have a real mystique about it mainly due to its famous users (abusers). It tastes horrible though (think battery acid), wormwood is very bitter and was used historically to rid the body of parasites (bacteria can't even stand it). It was made potable by adding a lot of sugar. It came out of the European tradition of bitters and herbal elixirs.

Most of the legal products available are thujone free. It can be made at home but it involves more than just soaking the herbs, it is a two stage process that includes a distillation. There are recipes on the web for anyone interested.

I think it is the only alcoholic drink that is banned (and nearly worldwide) and it wasn't done on sound scientific evidence but the prejudice is a real mindset now.
Ralph

Posted by: irregardless at October 4, 2006 09:39 AM

Why don't you try GREEN CHARTREUSE? It tastes good and it's safer. Take a look at:
http://www.chartreuse.fr/pa_green&yellow_uk.htm
It has been available in the US for many years.

Posted by: joe m at October 4, 2006 04:18 PM

SondraK brought me back a bottle from the The Czech Republic....though I'm gonna save it for a *ahem* special occasion ; )

Posted by: The Ugly American at October 5, 2006 12:22 PM

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