Absinthe is historically described as distilled, highly alcoholic beverage. It is an anise-flavoured spirit derived from botanicals, including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia ansinthium together with green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal and culinary herbs. Absinthe traditionally has a natural green colour but may also be colourless that"s why it is commonly referred to in historical literature as "la fée verte" (the green fairy).
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The history
Spurred by the temperance movement and the winemakers' associations, absinthe was publicly associated with violent crimes and social disorder.
They said: "Absinthe makes you crazy and criminal, provokes epilepsy and tuberculosis, and has killed thousands of French people. It makes a ferocious beast of man, a martyr of woman, and a degenerate of the infant, it disorganizes and ruins the family and menaces the future of the country.'
Since that day, absinthe is forbidden in some countries.
And you, are you ready to try it???
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How to drink it?
1. First get together everything you need. You will need a glass, water, sugar, a spoon, absinthe, and something to measure it all out with. To the left is a picture of a traditional reservour and absinthe spoon.
2. Next Measure out one to two ounces of absinthe into your glass. The usual ratio of absinthe to water is 1:3 or 1:5. For a traditional glass 2oz at 1:3 will give an 8oz drink and fill most of the glass. If you would like to make it a little weaker you can put in only 1oz for a 6oz drink after adding 5oz of water.
3.If the kiss of the green fairy is too bitter for your tastes you can add sugar. The traditional way is to place an absinthe spoon over the glass and slowly drip cold water through the sugar cube to dissolve it into the absinthe.
Innovation___________________________________________________________
Hopefully, some producers find tricks to continue to produce absinthe legally; for example "la liquoristerie de provence" and its "Versinthe".
VERSINTHE resurrected the myth. Versinthe made the tradition of absinthe live once again by mixing the subtleties of 20 plants, combining four main aromatic principles:
1.BITTER HERBS: absinthes, sagebrush, genepi, and tarragon give Versinthe its finesse and bitterness.
2.THE MILD FLAVOURED ANISES: anis, coriander, fennel, dill…. Offset the bitterness of the absinthes.
3.THE BALSAMIC HERBS: basil, rosemary, angelica… Enhance and give balance to the bitter and mild flavours.
4.PEPPERMINT AND VERBENA… Lend a fresh note. These contradictions give VERSINTHE it subtleties and complexity.
It is from this unequaled recipe that Versinthe acquires its finesse and complexity, and has become the reference for absinthe in the nation of France, as in numerous world competitions.