Absinthe is one of history's most legendary beverages. Crystal clear in the bottle, potent emerald green in the glass, it has been romanticized, maligned and consumed by such well-known artists and writers as Oscar Wilde, Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso.
Absinthe has long been associated with France, after French soldiers brought it back from Algeria. During the Algerian War of the 1840s, absinthe was issued as a fever preventative. Long before that, it was used in ancient Greece for its healing powers.
Absinthe is made with herbs and spices that are softened in an alcoholic solution, then drawn off the liquid and distilled. The highly concentrated oils are what give absinthe its flavor.
In 1792, Pierre Ordinaire created modern absinthe from wormwood, which contains the strong narcotic thujone.
There was an abrupt and sad ending to the popularity of the drink in 1905, when after a day of heavy drinking that included absinthe, Jean Lanfray killed his pregnant wife and two children. He then bungled a suicide attempt.
The story of the "absinthe murder" was front-page news across Europe, and the drink was banned there and in the United States by 1915.
France lifted the ban by the end of World War I, but decreed wormwood could no longer be used in its production. The old version is still available in the Czech Republic and Spain, and in some parts of the United Kingdom.
Green or common anise produces a characteristic fragrance and flavor, and is mainly cultivated in Europe. Star anise is from Asia. Its fragrance is more delicate and it has an aromatic, sugary flavor.
Some brands now available are:
• Absente, the first legal brand to be sold here since 1915. Made with Southern wormwood, it is refreshing, refined, and can be served as an aperitif.
• Pastis, closely associated with Southern France. Made with star anise, it has a distinct licorice taste.
• Pernod, steeped in legend. Many who drank the original experienced hallucinations. Wormwood is no longer used and its unique taste comes from a blend of essential badian and fennel oils.
• Arak Razzouk, the national drink of Lebanon. It is made from distilled grape juice and flavored with fresh anise seeds before being aged in earthenware jars for at least six months.
• Ouzo 12, a well-known, popular brand from Greece. It is produced by distilling anise and other botanicals that have been macerated in neutral grape alcohol. Ouzo is white, rather than the greenish-yellow typical of pastis, and is drier in taste.
• Ricard, made from star anise, Syrian licorice and aromatic herbs from Provence. In addition to being mixed with water, it can be enjoyed with orange juice, tonic or other mixers. Ricard is the world's leading pastis brand, with about 2 billion bottles sold since it was launched in 1932.
• Herbsaint, from New Orleans. The name also is that of the famous local absinthe substitute. The anise-flavored liqueur is not as much drunk as used in cooking, most notably in oysters Rockefeller.
To enjoy absinthe and pastis in the traditional manner, start with one part alcohol and slowly add four to five parts cold water, with or without ice. As the liquid clouds, the secret of absinthe and pastis is revealed. In the days of the cafes, it was fashionable for women to drip absinthe onto a lump of sugar held in a small, long-handled spoon with drain holes.
Absinthe Cocktail
Now made with local liqueur Herbsaint or Ojen, this remains a favorite libation at the Old Absinthe House
1 jigger Herbsaint
1 teaspoon simple syrup
2 dashes Anisette Marie Brizard
2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
2 ounces seltzer or still water
Half-fill a tall bar glass with crushed ice, then add liqueurs, syrup, seltzer and bitters. Frappe well with a bar spoon, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Francesco Lafranconi, a master mixologist, is a beverage specialist for Southern Wine and Spirits and the director of the Academy of Spirits & Fine Service.