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Cassandra Landau - Gallery Coordinator 

Absinthe Journal

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      

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Photography: Alexia Martinez (c) 2013
 
Cassandra Landau - Gallery Coordinator