A good quality Absinthe (served straight up), is a little
like Tequila if it were a cordial though not necessarily. Its consistency and
texture, can be somewhat dense with a light herbal aftertaste depending on which
brand you buy and as a rule ..
The better the quality, the more enjoyable the drinking
experience
My personal preference is to imbibe gracefully, as one would
with a fine liquor. The traditional method of adding ice cold water (filtered
through a sugar cube), will thin the natural flavors and often result in tasting
watered-down and artificially sweetened
First- let's approach the Absinthe Mythology with a grain of salt
Face it guys, if you drink enough of anything and your consumption
reaches a toxic level.. SHIT WILL HAPPEN
Standards and Uniformity
Back in 18th century Switzerland, the standards for
production and control were universally non-existent. Distilleries were
producing spirit's with as much as 74% alcohol by volume meaning, 90-148 proof
and was patented by the French doctor, Pierre Ordinaire c.1797
His goal, was to concoct an elixir that contained the medicinal properties of
Artemisia Absinthium or Wormwood. At this point in history, Wormwood was used
as both Remedy and household utility
Early use includes (but not limited to) a natural
insecticide used by man and hunters to ward-off pelt eating critters, an anti-venom for stinging sea creatures and as an antidote to
counter the effects of hemlock and toadstool poisoning
Due to its availability and abundance in many 18th century
countries, Absinthe was far cheaper to produce than gin and vodka, pandering
specifically to the lower and middle classes of Europe
To date, the precise origin of Absinthe remains unclear ..
The medical use
of wormwood dates back to ancient Egypt and is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus,
circa 1550 BC
Wormwood extracts and wine-soaked wormwood leaves, were also used as
remedies in ancient Greece. Moreover, there is evidence of
a popular wormwood-flavored Greek wine (Absinthites Oinos) in the same time
period.. Ron Maubidea
Kitchen Prep Table
Photography: Alexia Martinez (c) 2013
Cassandra Landau - Gallery Coordinator
