Goodies for ME!

Some friends just returned from Europe and brought me some presents for watching their cats while they were away. They went to TVs in London and asked for (NOT stole) a well-used menu, which is SO AWESOME! They also brought me a bunch of postcards, matchbooks and coasters. Can't wait to display them at The Cove! They also brought me a bottle of absinth, something I've always wanted to try. We took a wee taste and it's really good (and somewhat psycoactive!), but I'm curious about proper methods for serving this. I know there's something about a special spoon and a sugar cube (and a piece of rubber tubing and a syringe? Maybe that's something else). So my question to all you booze afficianados is what do I do with this stuff?

Pour a shot of absinthe into an old fashion glass or other low stem...(remember this stuff contains Thujones, so go slow and easy). Place a slotted spoon over the glass with a sugar cube on it....pour water over the sugar cube slowly until the cube dissolves and the glass fills, enjoy! The best absinthe should "louche" to a milky greenish white. Hint (if you don't want to waste your absinthe) Vermouth is also made from wormwood ("vermouth" is actually the French word for wormwood) and contains probably a higher thujone content than most commercial absinthes sold in parts of the E.U. today as the levels in Absinthe are now regulated. (I guess weak absinthe is better than none). Ever notice how chatty you get after a good Manhattan? That's why.

I learned another method for drinking absinthe from a pal who used to bum around Amsterdam a lot. He says you pour the absinthe over a sugar cube in a slotted spoon, then light the sugar cube on fire. Wait till it goes out, then stir the caramalized sugar into the absinthe, no water. Just drink it straight up. It kicks ass, but it's tasty. Similar to the water method but much stronger. Now when my neighbor comes over for an absinthe, I ask him, "fire or water?". I'm going to run out really fast at this rate...

Mark, go on bookfinder.com and order yourself a copy of "ABSINTH- History in a Bottle" by Barnaby Conrad (Chronicle Books). This book is to Absinth what the BOT is to Tiki. Beautiful vintage illustrations, and great stories about the artistic elite of Europe abusing the stuff. It is very likely to be responsible for the current revival of interest in Absinth in Europe. Ten years ago there was none tp be found, and now you can get 10 - 15 different brands from Spain, France, etc.
It all started with these Londoners importing HILL'S Absinth from Czecheslovakia (which was the only available brand back then) 5 years ago . Horrible stuff, little in common with real Absinth. But it had the image of the forbidden so it was a big hit in London clubs.
The new brands do a good job at getting close to the original booze, but they have less wormwood than the old stuff in there, which is the dangerous (halluzinogenic) part. But who wants to pop braincells like soap bubbles.
I think it's technically still illegal in the US.

Here's a shot of an "Absinthe Spoon". I had these bottles shiped from England thu La Boheme Importers. They threw the "spoon" in for free. I use Absinthe in my Zombie:

From "Hawaii, Tropical Rum Drinks and Cuisine" by Don the Beachcomber.
3/4 OZ Lime Juice
1/2 OZ Grapefruit Juice
1/2 OZ Fallernum
1/2 OZ Simple Syrup
1-1/4 OZ Light Puerto Rican Rum
1 OZ Lemon Hart Demerara Rum
1 OZ Meyers's Dark
1 OZ Appleton Estate Rum
1 OZ Ron Zacapo Rum (or MT. Gay?)
2 dashes Pernod
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 Dash Absinthe, Pernod
3 dashes Grenadine
3/4 Marashino Liquor

Pour all ingredients into a blender with a handful of cracked ice. pour into 14 OZ glass with a few ice cubes. Garnish with spear of pineapple, orange, cherry and sprig of mint. serve with straw.
Mahalo,
Al

[ Edited by: Alnshely on 2002-12-01 17:26 ]