Come Fly with the Green Fairy

Artemisia Absinthium, also known as Grand Wormwood sounds exotic, and maybe even toxic. But, when distilled with Anise and fennel, you get a greenish Spirit simply called Absinthe. And, today is National Absinthe Day. So, come fly with the Green Fairy as we explore the myths and truths about this storied drink.

Absinthe originated in Switzerland. But, quickly made its way across Europe and to the united states. Much of the lore flows from France, where artists, writers, and Bohemians indulged in the liquor. Rumors say it is hallucinogenic. In fact, the US and much of Europe banned it due to the supposed hallucinogenic properties. There is a compound, thujone, in trace amounts in absinthe. But, not enough to cause one to “trip balls”. But, absinthe is higher in alcohol than most spirits. While most vodkas, gins, and whiskeys come in at around 80 proof, Absinthe is usually 90 to 144 proof. So, drinking a lot will definitely have an effect. But, the amount of alcohol you would have to drink to get the effects of thujone would kill you.

Luckily for us, The ban instated in 1912 was lifted in 2007 with the provision that the liquor for sale has a thujone level of less than 10 parts per million. There are also restrictions on labeling and advertising intended to quell the myth of hallucination. In reality, Absinthe is pretty similar to gin. But, instead of being clear, the ingredients create a greenish tinge, and, a markedly different flavor.

But, how did we Come to Fly with the Green Fairy

The central ingredient wormwood dates back thousands of years. Egyptians used it for medicinal purposes. And, in the late 18th century, a Swiss Doctor distilled what we now know as absinthe to treat patients with parasitic issues. It proved somewhat effective with French soldiers, in Algiers, suffering dysentery and malaria in the mid 19th century. When these soldiers returned to France, they wanted more from their bartenders. Then, French vineyards suffered a blight, resulting in reduced wine production and an increase in Absinthe sales.

In bourgoise, Bohemian, and artistic circles, absinthe became the drink of choice. Once the rumors of hallucinations spread, everyone who wanted to be the next big artist or author jumped on the bandwagon. Lautrec, Baudelaire, Picasso, and van Gogh are among Absinthe’s biggest French Fans. And, authors like Ernest Hemingway, Oscar Wild, James Joyce, and Edgar Allen Poe swore by its creativity inducing properties. So, it’s no wonder there are multiple nicknames for absinthe. People call it: the green muse, the green torment, the green oblivion, the green lady, and of course, the green fairy. Abolitionists even dubbed it the Guillotine of the soul.

How did it all go wrong?

“Proper” citizens complained of ungodly, morally corrupt, “heathens” (aka artists) imbibing absinthe. Winemakers lamenting a loss of business, attempted to undermine the absinthe industry. Unscrupulous absinthe producers used cheap ingredients and allegedly spiked absinthe with hallucinogens. And some questionable scientific studies supposedly showed absinthe was a different danger than alcohol, creating the “disease”: absinthism as a separate category than alcoholism. All of these factors paved the way for the abolition of the popular drink.

The nail in the coffin literally came with the case of Jean Lanfray. In August 1905, Lanfray, a French laborer living in Switzerland started his day with a shot of absinthe, followed by more throughout the day. He had some coffee with brandy for lunch, and went home later to down a bottle of wine. He got in an argument with his wife, grabbed a shotgun, and killed her. When his 4 year old daughter came in to see what was going on, he shot her. Then, he went into the other room and shot his 2 year old daughter. The next day, he didn’t remember any of this.

The whole affair was dubbed the Absinthe murders. It became the rallying cry to outlaw the drink. Of course, they ignored all the other alcohol involved in the day. But, the imagery of 3 different size coffins was too potent to unsee. Noone would be allowed to come fly with the green fairy for decades after that.

Substitutes won’t cut it

With Absinthe on the sidelines, other liquors had to take its place. But, none could compare to the lure of the exotic liquor banned across the civilized world. Absinthe is a high alcohol spirit with an anise/licorice flavor. Sambucca, Pernod, and Ouzo are a few versions that have their own lore and appeal. However, they are “liqueurs”, meaning they have added sweeteners. And, they are usually lower in alcohol. The added sweetness, though, makes them go down easier.

Absinthe is not sweetened. The Traditional way to drink it is to pour the shot, then drizzle a little water over a sugar cube through an absinthe spoon. This makes the drink a little cloudy and cuts the bitter edge. This tradition is akin to having salt with tequila. The origin was to disguise low quality liquor. But, the ritual caught on. And, now it is a show. There is even a special “spoon” for the sugar.

It’s all part of the mystique to imbibe absinthe in a Parisian Cafe. But, it also has roots in the states, especially in New Orleans where it was a staple in private gentlemen’s clubs. This makes perfect sense, since there is a heavy French influence in “The Big Easy.”

While Pernod and its sisters are fine on their own. They don’t have the same allure. Still, they are great to cook with. Especially for something like a bouillabaisse. Lower alcohol and higher sugar give them a more versatile appeal. But, if you want to get good and drunk, absinthe is the drink of choice.

What shall we mix with the Green Fairy?

Being a favorite of the literary crowd, many absinthe based drinks have intricate, often morbid names like Necromancer, corpse reviver, death in the afternoon, smoke and mirrors, the green beast, or the last resort. Death in the afternoon and the Sun also rises came from Ernest Hemingway novels. Many recipes play up the clouding nature of absinthe. And, there are a few that incorporate egg whites for extra froth and drama. While all of these are fun and unique, being a sister of gin, martini like adaptations seem more appropriate.

The Chrysanthemum is just 3 liquors: Absinthe, the herbal benedictine, and vermouth. The traditional garnish is an orange zest. In a way, it’s a variation of a martini: gin or vodka and vermouth.

Then there is the “Tour Eifel”, which is a version of a sazerac (cognac based cocktail). Absinthe and cognac make the base. Cointreau sweetens it. Then you add a touch of bitter with Suze liqueur. And, garnish with a lemon twist.

Notice, both of these drinks are all alcohol. Absinthe brings an anise and earthy sensation and a whole lot of alcohol, while the other ingredients round it out with spice, herbs, and sweetness. No need for sugar cubes here. So, you can come fly with the green fairy while enjoying an array of flavor sensations.

Drink responsibly. But, enjoy!

Frank Sinatra implores you to:

Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away
If you can use some exotic booze
There’s a bar in far Bombay
Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away

So, of course, there is a version of the sazerac called the Bombay. It’s very similar to the Tour Eiffel with 2 types of vermouth instead of “Suze”:

1. 1 1/2 oz Cognac or brandy
2. 1/4 oz sweet vermouth
3. 1/4 oz dry vermouth
4. 1/4 oz curacao or Grand Marnier
5. 1/4 oz Absinthe
6. Lemon zest garnish

For those of you with a more literary bent, there is always Death in the afternoon:

1. 1 1/2 oz Absinthe
2. 4 1/2 oz champagne or sparkling wine

A Spanish champagne like a Cava is most appropriate here since Death in the afternoon centers on bullfighting in Spain.

Then there is your “Necromancer:

1. 3/4 oz absinthe
2. 3/4 oz elderflower liqueur
3. 3/4 oz lillet blanc
4. 1/4 oz gin
5. 3/4 oz Fresh squeezed lemon juice
6. Lemon zest garnish

Try some of these or make your own. These are all liquor heavy. And, they require multiple types of booze. But, you can make sweeter cocktails that incorporate simple syrup, juices, and sodas.

Then again, there is the French Velvet:

1. 1 oz absinthe
2. 1/2 oz coffee liquor
3. 2 oz espresso
4. 1 1/2 oz Chocolate liqueur like Godiva

A Votre Sante!