The Green Fairy.

29th September 2008 • Related • Filed Under

Absinthe Drinker by Viktor Oliva (1861-1928) Nobody can say for certain where she came from. Many an artist and writer in Paris looked her up for inspiration. She was constantly seen with Charles Baudelaire, Paul Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud, Vincent van Gogh, Oscar Wilde, and Aleister Crowley. They were devotees to the Green Fairy, also known by some as the Green Muse.

Absinthe or wormwood, is an aromatic plant containing an alkaloids. It was used for medicine during ancient times. Was first made commercially in 1797 by Pernod. It was also believed during the time that absinthe was highly addictive and linked to mental illness, that eventually causes it to be banned.

Absinthe Glass Traditionally Absinthe was served in a small glass. A slotted spoon was placed over the glass in which a cube of sugar was placed inside the bowl of the spoon. Ice cold water was poured or dripped over the sugar, causing the liquid to turn into a milky white substance. Ratio was between 1:3 and 1:5. Absinthe became very popular in the 1860’s and the 5pm hour was called the “green hour”. (l’heure verte) It became a very popular drink and was eventually blamed for many social ills. Eventually in the 1915 many European countries and as far as USA banned Absinthe. A replacement was produced called “pastis”. An aniseed flavoured drink made by Pernod.

Alexander Dumas had the following to say in his “Grand Dictionaire de cuisine”:

De Musset’s fatal passion for absinthe, which incidentally perhaps gave his poetry its bitter flavour, caused the Academie to make a modest pun. De Musset was, in fact, missing many of the sittings of his august body, aware that he was in no state to attend.

One day one of the distinguish forty members said to another:” Really, do you not think that Alfred de Musset absents himself rather to often?”

“You mean that he absinthe himself rather too often!”

Poster protesting the ban of Absinthe. Recently as 1990, there was a renewed interest in Absinthe, and few companies started to distilled it for sale, after it was found that some countries never made it illegal.

La Fee Absinth is one of the brands available and won numerous awards. Maybe a visit from the Green Fairy my bring us closer to the artist in us!

There Are 13 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by demoerin on 30 September 2008:

    Ek like jou stukke al hoe meer! Ek jaag die groen feetjie nou al lank rond, ek dink net nie ek neem genoeg in vir die thujone om enige uitwerking te hê nie. Ek is nogal mal oor die hele ritueel van die drink, en dit laat nogal gereeld die wenkbroue in pubs lig! :lol: Net die nader dag het ons Hemingway se beroemde cocktail, Death in the Afternoon probeer. Dit maak vir ‘n moerse expensive drink, maar sjoe, lipleklekker.

  2. Comment by Rustig on 30 September 2008:

    Dankie Demoerin: Ek kan beter dinge doen by die huis omdat ek meer boeke tot my beskikking het. Daar is baie legendes en stories rondom Absinthe. Soos ek genoem het kan jy deesdae weer die ware Jakob koop omdat daar nie kan bewys word dat dit enige gevare inhou, behalwe wat enige ander alkohol misbruik ook maar het. Nog nooit self gedrink nie, maar al die ritueel gesien en soos menige dinge, vrek ek oor rituele wanneer dit by kos en wyn kom, al eet of drink ek dit nie self nie.
    Ek is so bietjie besig om te kyk na die tradisie van “passing the port”.

  3. Comment by demoerin on 30 September 2008:

    Ek hou nogal daarvan. Nou nie my preferred drink nie, maar die ritueel is fun. My gunsteling is om die yswater in die glas te gooi, gooi die absinthe oor die suikerblokkie op die lepel in die glas in. Steek nou die suikerblokkie op die lepel aan die brand, die suiker soort van karameliseer en drup dan in die louche in. Dit maak groot fun vir pubsessies….

  4. Comment by flippiefanus on 30 September 2008:

    My wereld ek het op ‘n stadium vir my bottel Ricard (as ek reg onthou) gekoop. Dit het so anys smak en word ook melkerig as daar water bykom. Dis nou nie groen as ek reg onthou nie, maar dit moet dan seker van hierdie absinthe bevat. Baie interessant. My kennis van drank is beroerd. ;-)

  5. Comment by Rustig on 30 September 2008:

    Flippie: Richard en Pernod val onder “pastis”. Dit was die plaasvervanger vir Absinthe na die verbod op Absinthe. Anys is die hoof bestandeel van Pernod en Richard. Die Pernod Maatskappy het Absinthe gemaak voor die verbod. Absinthe se groen kleur is van die chlorofil. DWS as dit ‘n natuurlik kleur het.

  6. Comment by flippiefanus on 1 October 2008:

    O ek sien. Heel interessant.

  7. Comment by cebella on 1 October 2008:

    ahhh…’n kunstige “trip”. Partydae het ek so een nodig

  8. Comment by Rustig on 1 October 2008:

    Flippie: Ek praat ook onder korreksie. Ek het so bietjie gaan rond kyk en daar is soms maar weersprekende informasie. So geneem wat die mees algemeen voorkom.
    Cebella: Welkom hier op Onrustig! Nooit so daaroor gedink nie. Is dalk net die inspirasie wat ons soms nodig het.

  9. Comment by demoerin on 2 October 2008:

    :lol: Ek dink jy het BAIE en GEREELDE gebruik nodig voordat jy enige inspirasie gaan kry..hehehe

  10. Comment by Rustig on 2 October 2008:

    Demoerin: Dalk moet jy so bietjie meer inligting gee oor hoeveel nou juis nodig is?
    :lol:

  11. Comment by Sammi on 2 October 2008:

    Waar pas Ouzo in?

  12. Comment by demoerin on 3 October 2008:

    @ Rustig….geen idee nie, ek probeer en probeer maar ek kan net nie die punt bereik nie!
    @ Sammi….mmmmm Ouzo, in ‘n lang glas oor ysblokkies…pas sommer enige plek in. :lol:

  13. Comment by Sammi on 3 October 2008:

    dm
    Hmmm, ouzo, water, koffie, ouzo, water, koffie, getrek, nugter, getrek, nugter :grin: !

    Rustig
    Veilige terugrit vir jou! Mwah!

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