Absinthe Recipe
Absinthe is the legendary liquor that dominated the hearts and minds of the majority of Europeans during the nineteenth century. Absinthe has wormwood and anise flavor. Absinthe was extremely popular because of its taste as well as the unique effects which were not similar to other spirits. The drink has made an amazing comeback worldwide since the beginning of the 21st century. Many people are interested in learning the perfect absinthe recipe. But before we discuss the absinthe recipe, letâs become familiar with absinthe kit its rich history.
A French doctor Dr. Pierre Ordinaire is credited with the production of absinthe. The doctor prescribed it as a digestive tonic and made use of it to treat digestive disorders. Henri-Louis Pernod is credited with the very first commercial creation of absinthe in 1797 in Couvet, Switzerland. Later on in 1805 Pernod moved to a larger distillery as the demand for absinthe kept growing. Absinthe was the most popular drink in Europe and it rivaled wine, when at its peak. It has also appeared in the paintings of Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh. A lot of great artistes and writers were regular drinkers of absinthe and absinthe was an important part of the literary and cultural scenario of nineteenth century Europe. Due to particular misconceptions and ill founded rumors absinthe was banned for most of Europe and America for the majority of of the 20th century. However, absinthe has created an effective comeback as most European countries have lifted the ban.
Absinthe recipe is fairy simple. It is prepared by steeping natural herbs in neutral spirit and distilling the items thus formed. Absinthe may be wine based or grain based. After distillation the distilled spirit is infused with a lot more herbs for flavor after which filtered to get absinthe liquor. It is a three step recipe.
The initial step involves obtaining the neutral spirit. Wine might be distilled to boost the alcohol concentration. The easy alternative is to try using vodka because it is easily available. The next step involves putting herbs like wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), green anise, fennel seed, angelica root, star anise, etc. These herbs are classified as as macerated herbs. These herbs are mixed with the neutral spirit and saved in a dark cool area for several days. The container that contains this mixture is shaken occasionally. Immediately after days the mixture is strained and water is added. The amount of water added need to be half of the volume of neutral spirit used.
The 3rd step requires distilling the maceration. The distillation process resembles the one used in home distilled alcohol. Throughout the distillation the liquid that comes out in the beginning and also the very end is discarded.
The very last step involves adding herbs such as hyssop, melissa or lemon balm, and mint leaves. The amalgamation is periodically shaken and kept for quite a while. As soon as the color and flavor of the herbs gets to the amalgamation then it is filtered and bottled.
Absinthe has quite high alcohol content and should be drunk without excess. The herb wormwood is made up of thujone which is a mildly psychoactive substance and is considered to induce psychedelic effects if consumed in large quantity. Absinthe drinks are set using traditional rituals. Absinthe spoon and absinthe glass are utilized in the preparation of “the green fairy”, as absinthe is lovingly called. Like several drinks absinthe is an intoxicant and should be used sparingly to relish its one of a kind effects.