MAGIC GREEN FAIRY COCKTAILS NOW
The first thing that comes to our magical minds when we think of beautiful food magic is the Green Fairy ("La Fée Verte") -- Absinthe. -- Especially just coming off of the New Orleans Jazz Festival. If you’re not familiar, absinthe is high-octane spirit, purported to deliver a magical trip when consumed in just the right way.
While New Orleans and Paris are both famous for their absinthe passions, absinthe originated in Switzerland in the late 18th century. It’s traditionally naturally green and “mind altering” (hence the alias -- Green Fairy).The chemical compound thujone, found has mild psychoactive effects.
It became all the rage among Parisian artists and writers in the late 19th - early 20th century. Hemingway, Baudelaire, Toulouse-Lautrec, Modigliani, Picasso, and Van Gogh, were among the Green Fairy’s admirers.
By 1915, absinthe had been banned in many countries around the world. But it’s chemical magic was eliminated and the drink has been gaining popularity again more recently. In fact, you can check out a cool Absinthe Tasting event at the upcoming Steampunk World Fair on 05.16.14.
Absinthe tastes like anise. It is derived from botanicals, including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia absinthium (a.k.a. "grand wormwood"), green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal and culinary herbs.
It is normally diluted with water prior to being consumed and served with or without a flaming sugar cube.
CLASSIC FRENCH ABSINTHE DRIP
If you want a purist absinthe experience, try the Classic French Absinthe Drip. Just absinthe, sugar, and you.
Classic French Absinthe Drip
-
2 oz of absinthe
-
1 lump of sugar
Glassware: small rocks glass and an absinthe spoon.
-
Place absinthe and ice cube into a small rocks glass.
-
Place absinthe spoon across the top of the glass with a lump of sugar resting on it.
-
Slowly drip droplets of water onto the sugar cube allowing it to melt into the absinthe.
ABSINTHE NO. 2
If you’re ready to expand your magical mind a bit further, pair your absinthe with some handcrafted gin and some orange bitters for a Absinthe No. 2, like this one from Done Like Dundee Gone Like Ghandi.
Absinthe No. 2
-
2 oz gin
-
1 oz absinthe
-
2 dashes of orange bitters
Glassware: chilled cocktail/martini glass
-
Pour gin, absinthe, and bitters into a glass with ice.
-
Stir until cold and strain into the cocktail glass.
EVERGREEN COCKTAIL
Maison Premiere in Brooklyn is known for their unique absinthe cocktails. Their Evergreen Cocktail is made with Muscadet, Pacifique Absinthe, rosemary syrup, and lime juice.
Evergreen Cocktail
INGREDIENTS:
-
1.5 oz. Muscadet
-
.75 oz. Pacifique Absinthe
-
.75 oz. Rosemary Syrup*
-
1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
-
Crushed Ice
-
8 Cucumber Slices
-
Lime Zest
INSTRUCTIONS:
-
Pour the first four ingredients into a tall pilsner glass.
-
Add crushed ice and cucumbers. Swizzle, and repeat until glass is full.
-
Garnish with lime zest and paper straw.
*Rosemary syrup recipe:
-
1 part water
-
2 parts sugar
-
5 rosemary sprigs
Heat until sugar dissolves and let sit for 30 minutes with rosemary, then fine strain into bottle until needed.
Read more about Beautiful Magic, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including 10 New Books on Beautiful Magic Now and Real Beautiful Magic Happening Now.
Enter this week’s BN Creative Photo Competition. Our theme this week is Beautiful Magic. Deadline is 05.04.14.
Photo Credits:
- Photo: Courtesy of Smoker Anarchy ® Premium E-Liquid / Liquid Absinthe.
- Image: By Viktor Oliva. The Absinthe Drinker.
- Photo: By Paul S. Bartholomew Photography. Still Life with Absinthe.
- Photo: Courtesy of Greg and Ash of Follow Our Footsteps. Flaming Absinthe shots.
- Photo: By normanack. Wormwood.
- Photo: By Dave Gough. Absinthe of Light.
- Photo: By Kathleen Wills. Absinthe Drip.
- Photo: Courtesy of Done Like Dundee Gone Like Ghandi. Absinthe No. 2.
- Photo: Courtesy of Maison Premiere. Evergreen Cocktail.
- Photo: By Koeb. Absinthe on Fire.
