Absinthe, anyone?
 

If you are travelling to London from USA and get a rebellious streak while abroad, I suggest you find a pub that serves absinthe and ask the tapster for a shot. Why is that "rebellious"? Because absinthe has been illegal in the USA since 1912. It was popular in New Orleans. It used to be popular in Europe in the 19th century particularly in France among the art community. Now, I believe it is banned in most European countries, however I am aware that it is served in London. The Ten Bells Inn - located a couple blocks south of Spitalfields Market - serves it. I believe some places in Soho will serve it as well. I do not reccommend more than one shot. Absinthe is a translucent green liquor that tastes like Sambuca and packs a punch 5 times stronger than any shot of liqour you have ever had. Some people say it has hallucenogenic qualities - probably the reason why it was so popular with the art community. The reason why absinthe has been banned by so many countries is that it is distilled using Oil of Wormwood. One drop of pure Oil of Wormwood can kill you. If the absinthe is not distilled properly it can be hazardous to your health. This was a major concern 100+ years ago to governments trying to regulate the production of absinthe so many countries chose to deal with this situation by banning the drink altogether. There does not appear to be any such concern now in London according to my bartender. However not many people are taking absinthe at the going rate of 4 quid per shot. Still, my advice is to try it once, and make it part of your London experience..

I think it's available in certain places in France again, too - but I was told that what they are offering now is not the same as the absinthe that used to be sold, that it was a "kindler,gentler" version.
Could that be the case in London?

When I was studying art history, I learned that absinthe made you go blind, not the drunken sort of blind but the real sort of blind, for good.

What'dya think?

Pernod is absinthe without the wormwood. It got a bad rap because a man who drank many, many drinks from wine to brandy and absinthe did away with his family and his pregnant wife's murder caused the banning of "The Green Fairy." It has been available in spain and some other countries.
Optimistic, you'll love th book by Barnaby Conrad, "Absinthe, history in a bottle." Great photos.

The absinthe with thugone (active ingredient from wormwood) my friend bought in France last year has 30ppm. The old "Green Fairy" days were in the 300ppm range.

The absinthe that is sold now is likely nothing like the drink made famous by the bohemian artists, writers and poets of yesteryear. While it still contains some level of thujone, the chemical found in the wormword plant, absinthe manufactured today is effectively a stronger version of pastis.

Whereas pastis is between 40 and 45% alcohol, absinthe can run up to 70%. Many brands have alcohol contents in the range of pastis.

Much of the hype now is intended to invoke some element of "danger" into the product.

I love the painting by Degas of the couple sitting with a glass of absinthe in the Paris cafe. I have felt like that lady a few times in my life......

The one available here is called absinthe and even comes with the slotted spoon for the cube of sugar but it's not the true drink. It will not make you go blind but you will wake up wondering if you were Arthur or Martha.

Some used to claim that it acted as an aphrodisiac, hence "Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder."

Ahhh... then you'd better come to Cape Town because we seem to have no problem serving it here. We stopped in at a pub/restaurant last friday night to bid farewell to a friends son who was leaving to live in London, and the moment the 'kids' saw us 'oldies' arriving, they ordered a round of absinthe for us. I think I could get used to drinking it, yummy flavour! I didn't realise it was that alcoholic and none of us started hallucenating.... I think.... haha! We were ordered to down it like a shot, but next time I think I like to sip it to savour the flavour. Maybe ours was a "gentler" version :-)

Absinthe is available in the CDG duty free shop.

Michael that's a pastis, that I mentioned, it is still illegal in France.

INTERNATIONAL LAW #
E.U. #
We have received report that European Union treaties may make sales of thujone-containing absinthe legal in all EU countries.
England #
Available in stores and some pubs, now appears to be legal for sale (tesco and harrods). No confirmation of thujone content.
Canada #
Thujone containing absinthe available in liqour stores, including the Czech brand Hill's Absinth which is a very low thujone brand. We have been told that all brands of absinthe commercially available in Canada contain extremely low levels of thujone (thanks to Aaron).
Czech Republic #
Absinthe Legal. Thujone containing absinthe available in stores including Tesco, a large supermarket chain.
Absinthe is common in the Czech Republic. One submitter (JT) writes: "And there's another 'traditional' way of drinking it there: Take a tequila-shot glass, teaspoon filled with normal sugar and a lighter. Fill the glass and hold the spoon over the glass so you 'spill' a little onto the sugar. Light the sugar and wait for start forming caramel, drop it in the glass, stir, and consume immediately."
Germany #
Thujone-containing absinthe available at bars and stores in Germany, in 2002 it is quite popular in some parts of Germany and Austria
Italy #
Thujone containing absinthe sold in some smartshops -- DiO-LeCclo
Netherlands #
1909 ban on absinthe sales lifted Jul 2004. Thujone-containing absinthe sold in liquor stores, as long as thujone quantity remain within European-accepted levels. (Thanks Tino and Enrico)
New Zealand #
Thujone containing absinthe sold in liquor stores.
Portugal #
Thujone containing absinthe sold in liquor stores, bars, clubs, and supermarkets.
Sweden #
Absinthe sold in all liquor stores marked as containing wormwood extract:
"In Sweden absinthe can be bought in all liquor stores (Pere Kermann's Absinthe, made in France). And the way it works in the EU is that if a product is legal in one country it is automaticaly legal in all EU countries.

It says on the front label "Spiriteux aux extraits de plantes d'absinthe" and on the back label " ingredients: alcohol, water, aroma, wormwood infusion, sugar, colouring: E131-E102. It is sold as containing thujone." - from Ulf
Spain #
Thujone containing absinthe widely available.

cigalechanta, it's interesting that Netherlands only lifted the ban a few months ago given their liberal social attitude towards so-called "vice"..

By the way, if anyone's heading to Auvers-sur-Oise, the château there (which is full of wonderful exhibits) has a great space devoted to the absinthe culture, with all kinds of fancy knicknacks associated with using it.

So... we're saying that it's perfectly fine, a part of the experience while in Europe, to enjoy a substance that has been banned in the US?...I'm sensing a double-standard here... :-?

travelnut, no one is saying that. Most people do not even like pastis, let alone absinthe.. I'll continue to eat unpasturised cheese though banned here. :)

ZZZZZzzzz!!

We kept being served small amounts of Genepi as an after dinner liqueur in the Fr. Alpes a few years ago and brought some little bottles back as souvenirs. I discovered that it is made from wormwood, also. Some restaurants even had Genepi-flavored ice cream.

OO!! grandmere, one of our favorite digestifs. At our Hotel in the Gorge de Loup, we drank alot of it and a friend near Paris makes his own with the herbs he gathers at his family home there in the Alps.

I grow artemesia on my terrace. Isn't that a form of wormwood? Could I distill my own absinthe?

Not that I would--I hate anything with an anise-y taste.

Elle, post your artemesia(whatever that may be) over to me, I'll brew it. My Lemoncello has been quite a hit in the neighbourhood and friday nights do not pass without a little taste with the neighbors :-) I'm busy brewing my second batch and just hope that turns out as well as the first or I may be a social outcast around here.. haha!

elle there are many kinds of artemesia, and onlt three can be usaed for genepi. i'll look for some info and post.

Picture Julie Andrews twirling euphorically across an Austrian mountaintop in the opening scene from The Sound of Music. Now envision a similar panorama in the Swiss Alps with lush, green, rolling hills of soft grass covering a mountainside, just like the one where the fictional character Heidi and her grandfather lived. In the summer, specks of colorful wildflowers nestle in the soft, wispy blades of grass. Scattered among this vibrant array of posies, the silvery genepy thrives on the hillsides of the western Alps. Those who wish to gather the tiny golden flowers of the genepy must be willing to scale the steep slopes of the mountain; these Alpine herbs grow at very high elevations of 2,400 meters or more.

The golden buds of the genepy plant are transformed into a liqueur of the same name. This herbal mountain dew; genepy or genepi des Alpes, is known as a natural elixir indigenous to the western Alps. The genepy plant comes from the wormwood family, more specifically, Artemisia genipi, glacialis, and mutellina. Even though a wide assortment of these herbal plants dot the mountains and valleys throughout the region, only these three varieties are harvested for the liqueur.

It should be noted that the illegal, mind-altering drink, absinthe, banned in many nations for its hallucinatory qualifies, is made from a different wormwood plant, Artemisia absinthe, If a little psychedelic head-trip is what you're looking for, be aware that absinthe is illegal in most countries and its use carries strict penalties, especially in Europe. Imbibing a large or concentrated quantity of absinthe, also known as wormwood, can be toxic. (Enthusiasts can read all about absinthe in Art Culinaire, Issue 49.)

Initially having a pale golden sheen, genepy's color intensifies and develops into a tawny shade over time. However, some genepy has a greenish tint depending on the amount of chlorophyll in the plants. This version is usually sold in dark bottles to preserve the color. Comparable to grappa, genepy is quite harsh and bitter and, therefore, is often added to espresso or strong coffee in order to dilute its strong taste.

There is no authority that oversees the manufacture, sale or consumption of this little-known spirit. In fact, in the French Alps, there are no rules at all governing the production of this liqueur. Therefore, it is common in Europe for mountaineers to make their own genepy. A mixture of pure alcohol, water, and the dried flowers of the plant are all that are needled to create a version of this Alpine elixir for home consumption.

Genepy is marketed under some labels for commercial sale but has a small audience. These commercial versions are most often sold as regional products and poured in local bars and restaurants. Contrary to the simpler infusion method of home-made genepy, the commercial product is made by artisans and distilled to extract the natural flavors of the plant.

Aside from being solely an alcoholic drink, genepy is also an ingredient in local products like chocolate and jams. However, the classic way to enjoy this drink is to kick back at a ski station in the heart of winter and dig into some hearty fondue or tartiflette--a traditional Alpine dish of Reblochon cheese, lardons, and potatoes-- accompanied by a tiny glass of this potent liqueur. After dinner, sip it with an espresso. With a high alcohol content of 40%, genepy can make those cold winter nights feel a whole lot warmer. So the next time you are skiing in Chamonix or frolicking among the nooks and crannies of the sunny Alps, make sure to indulge in a drop (or two) of this unique beverage.

Bibliography

Genepy:

Conrad III, Barnaby. Absinthe History in a Bottle. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1988.

Wow, everything I wanted to know and was afraid to ask.

As a child in New Orleans, my parents took me to the "olde Absinthe House" bar and showed me the depressions in the marble bar that were supposedly from the intense alcohol in the drink. Any truth to this?

In the heart of the French Quarter, at the corner of Bourbon Street and Bienville, sits the stuff that legends are made of -- The Old Absinthe House.

Many celebrities have been welcomed through our doors in the nearly two centuries since its opening -- including Oscar Wilde, P.T. Barnum, Mark Twain, Jenny Lind, Enrico Caruso, General Robert E Lee, Franklin Roosevelt, Liza Minelli and Frank Sinatra. Indeed, the walls throughout this incredible building are covered in the framed photographs of several of our famous patrons.

The building endures the name of Jean Lafitte's because of the rumored meeting of the Pirate Jean Lafitte and Andrew Jackson as they planned the victory of the battle of New Orleans on the second floor (now the newly-renovated Jean Lafitte's Bistro). In fact, many of those who work here will be happy to share their Jean Lafitte Ghost Stories with you!

Built in 1806, this building was erected by Pedro Front and Francisco Juncadelia of Barcelona to house their importing firm. For the next forty years, trade continued in the bartering of food, tobacco and Spanish liquor ... a sort of early "corner grocery."

In 1815, the ground floor was converted into a saloon known as "Aleix's Coffee House" and was run by the nephews of Senora Juncadelia. This coffee house was later rechristened "The Absinthe Room" when mixologist Cayetano Ferrer created the famous Absinthe House Frappe here in 1874. (more about this now illegal liquor)

To this day, The Old Absinthe House still has the decorative marble fountains that were used to drip cool water over sugar cubes into glasses of Absinthe.

The original Old Absinthe House bar was to be destroyed at the start of Prohibition - as a powerful message to proprietors and others that Absinthe was to be abolished from the United States and would not be tolerated.

Fortunately, the bar was removed from the Absinthe House and moved under cover of darkness to a warehouse on Bourbon street in order to save it. (This warehouse became known as "The Absinthe House Bar" until the actual bar was returned to its home in early 2004. It is now known as the Mango, Mango daiquiri shop.)

The bar is again part of this historical building after a 3 million dollar renovation returning it to its turn-of-the-century splendor. It is now operated by Tony Moran, himself the son of a New Orleans legend -- "Diamond Jim" Moran.

The building now houses Tony Moran's Restaurant and Jean Lafitte Bistro .. and the front room is still the tavern known as Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House!


".....But our business is with the heart of things; we must go
beyond the crude phenomena of nature if we are to dwell
in the spirit. Art is the soul of life and the Old Absinthe
House is the heart and soul of the old quarter of
New Orleans."

Did any of you see the recent movie titled 'Van Helsing'? There were many scenes with absinthe in it. I kept wondering if it would be integral to the plot, but it wasn't as far as I could tell.

I just saw absinthe in my local store, 55% alcohol. I nearly bought a bottle, but desided to be good..... till next time :-)

OOPS, sorry, I do know that it's decide and not deside!

And no, I haven't had any absinthe to drink :-)

It is banned in most countries, but even in the countries where it isn't, make sure you're getting "real" absenth. I know in Amsterdam, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia they all still make the real stuff (should be a minimum of 80 proof)...and yes, be careful. I've hear stories, like my friend's brother's dog's cousin's wife' uncle's son went to Europe after college and came back in wheel chair from drinking too much absenth...personally, I just think it tastes horrible, and I can never get the fire out on time!

ARGH! I bought two bottles of Absinthe at Tesco in Prague (along with vodka infused with, um, hemp), but I just looked and it is only 66 proof. Why the odd number, I don't know. But if it's supposed to be at least 80 proof, then I got a gentler version. My brother and I did shots of it and then thought, Hmmm, doesn't feel any different.

Guess I'll have to go back! Mischka, I'll meet you at Tesco!

Ok Melissa, you bring your 66% and I'll bring my 55% and we'll have a party.

Mimi, thank you for the comprehensive piece on Genepi! If we don't get water back here in the 'Burgh before long, I may be drinking my Genepi souvenirs! :-)

I can kick myself for forgetting to bring a bottle back. Wonder if I can buy it on line?
See Scarlett's thread on drinking for my home-made absinthe experience.