Pernod® Absinthe celebrates at Tales of the Cocktail the lift of the Absinthe Ban Five Years Ago
Michael Hepworth
New York, NY(Spirtisman) 7/26/12/– What is thought of as a classical spirit and found in the chicest of bars was illegal just five years ago. This week marks the 100th Anniversary of the absinthe ban in the U.S. and the 5th Anniversary of when the beloved spirit was declared legal once again.
In the U.S., and later France, prohibition came when claims surfaced that absinthe was deleterious to human health and forced the Pernod Absinthe distillery in Pontarlier to stop production and close its doors. The concern was an ingredient in absinthe called grand wormwood, or Artemisia absinthium, the plant from which absinthe got its name. Grand wormwood contains a substance called thujone, which also naturally appears in many everyday cooking spices. In large quantities, thujone is a neurotoxin, but there is so little in absinthe, that there is no danger through absinthe consumption.
There is more thujone in three leaves of sage than there is in an entire bottle of Pernod Absinthe. It is only because of advances in science and chemical testing that lobbyists for absinthe were able to demonstrate to lawmakers the low quantities of thujone and lift the restriction.
“Absinthe is once again flourishing in the U.S. and abroad. It is the inspiration for artists, writers and bartenders alike, just as it was 100 years ago,” says Anne-Louise Marquis, brand ambassador for Pernod Absinthe. “Today we celebrate our love for the spirit. May we appreciate how it was intended and continue to drive the cocktail renaissance.”
Become an Absinthe Connoisseur – The Ritual of Drinking Absinthe
Absinthe is often served in a traditional ritual:
- 1. Pour a measure of absinthe in an absinthe glass
- 2. Place a sugar cube on a flat perforated spoon on top of the glass
- 3. Drip ice-cold water on the sugar cube to slowly dissolve it
- 4. Add three to six parts water to the glass
- 5. Take your time, sip. The slower, the better
Bartend and Impress – Absinthe Cocktails for all Occasions
The French 101
5 oz. Champagne
3/4 oz. Lillet Blanc
1/2 oz. Pernod Absinthe float
Layered in a wine glass
Lemon twist
*Courtesy of AsafTamir at Lighthouse in Brooklyn, NY
Mr. Green Jeans
2 Dashes whiskey barrel aged bitters
3/4 oz. Green Chartreuse
1/4 oz. Pernod Absinthe
2 oz. Rye
~ Stir, strain into coupe and garnish with flamed orange peel
*Courtesy of Justin Gordon at Copa D’oro in Santa Monica, CA
The Bonny Bramble
4 lightly muddled blackberries
3/4 oz. lemon juice
3/4 oz. simple
3/4 oz. Pernod Absinthe
1 oz. Ron Zacapa Rum
~ Shake with a small amount of pellet ice. Pour into a chilled double rocks glass and cover with pellet ice. Garnish with a mint spring.
*Courtesy of Claire Needham at The Beagle in New York City
The Savannah
1 oz. Darjeeling infused Pernod Absinthe
1 oz. Fresh Lemon
1 oz. Peach Syrup
1 oz. Water
~Build all ingredients directly into a zombie mug. Fill with crushed ice, swizzle and top with crushed ice. Float 151 rum and garnish lavishly with a bouquet of mint.
*Courtesy of Maxwell Britten at Maison Premiere in Brooklyn, NY
Michael Hepworth
287 S.Robertson Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
http://twitter.com/MrSpiritsman
http://spiritsman.blogspot.com
