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-   -   Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy' (https://www.cableforum.uk/board/showthread.php?t=33677347)

Maggy 04-05-2011 16:19
Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13159863
Quote:
The green, anise-flavoured spirit is associated with many of the country's most famous and esteemed artists and writers - like Edouard Manet, Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec and Paul Verlaine - but it was banned in France in 1915 for its alleged harmful effect.
Quote:
Later, the rule was relaxed, allowing the drink to be sold as long as it was not called absinthe, and instead labelled "a spirit made from extracts of the absinthe plant".
Now the ban is expected to be lifted entirely any day now, after the French Senate voted in favour of the move in mid-April.
Why now I wondered?

Quote:
Absinthe was first made, not in France, but just across the border in the Val-de-Travers region of Switzerland.
And a Swiss judge recently approved a request to give the region exclusive rights to produce it. For the moment, this ruling applies only in Switzerland, which is not a member of the European Union - and so has limited impact.
But because of Switzerland's close ties with the EU, it is possible that the Swiss could seek to extend the ruling across the block.
Producers say that this is what has galvanised the French government to lift the ban now.
Never tried it myself..is it as bad as it's errr painted?

Stephen 04-05-2011 16:20
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Yes it is, I've tried a 73% one and it's lethal!

Dai 04-05-2011 16:26
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
The original Absinthe was made with the 'wormwood' herb. This left the resulting spirit with a slighty hallucinatory effect due to small quantities of a by-product chemical called thujone.

So yes, I guess it was pretty dangerous stuff, being in the region of 100-proof spirit as well.

Derek 04-05-2011 16:32
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
I always found it pretty dull and foul whenever I tried it.

Stephen 04-05-2011 16:34
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Agree with Derek it's pretty fouls taste wise but that's probably due to the really strong aniseed taste from it. I think the traditional way to drink it is to pour it over a spoon with a sugar cube or something,

Dai 04-05-2011 17:37
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen (Post 35228750)
Agree with Derek it's pretty fouls taste wise but that's probably due to the really strong aniseed taste from it. I think the traditional way to drink it is to pour it over a spoon with a sugar cube or something,
Like Anisette and Pernod it's normally taken diluted with water.

Taf 04-05-2011 17:48
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Taken properly using sugar on an absinthe spoon it loses a lot of it's alcoholic content... but I prefer Ricard.

The Parisienne form is quite nice, but stay well clear of the Bohemian (Czech) version if you don't like projectile vomitting immediately after drinking... it's foul!!!!!.

Russ 04-05-2011 18:59
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Taf (Post 35228796)
Taken properly using sugar on an absinthe spoon it loses a lot of it's alcoholic content... but I prefer Ricard.

The Parisienne form is quite nice, but stay well clear of the Bohemian (Czech) version if you don't like projectile vomitting immediately after drinking... it's foul!!!!!.
20 years ago I tried the Czech stuff, I didn't vomit but I swear for weeks after I could hear colours :disturbd:

Interestingly Pernod was initially exactly the same as absinthe but without the 'additives'.

Lord Nikon 04-05-2011 19:01
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
just remember, Absinthe makes the farts grow stronger.

joglynne 04-05-2011 19:20
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Had a few drops too many of home brewed Absenta in Spain in the early 60s and have had an absolute loathing of anything that smells or tastes of aniseed ever since. I can't remember having any hallucinations but I do remember asking someone to put me out of my misery the next day.

Ah the joys of a misspent youth. :D

Maggy 04-05-2011 20:13
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
I used to have a wormwood bush.Interesting scent..not at all like aniseed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisia_absinthium

cookie_365 04-05-2011 20:31
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
I've had a single shot mixed pastis style with room temperature water, and it was OK if pretty strong, but just like Taf I'd rather have a Ricard.

Imagine having several cheap Sambuccas followed by a punch in the head ;)

Hom3r 04-05-2011 20:34
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaiNasty (Post 35228739)
The original Absinthe was made with the 'wormwood' herb. This left the resulting spirit with a slighty hallucinatory effect due to small quantities of a by-product chemical called thujone.

So yes, I guess it was pretty dangerous stuff, being in the region of 100-proof spirit as well.
Its well stronger than than

200 proof is pure alcohol, I have a bottle of 100 proof vodka which is 50% alcohol.

I would guess Absinithe is around 140-150% proof

Wayfair 04-05-2011 20:42
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Quote:
Maggy J I used to have a wormwood bush.Interesting scent..not at all like aniseed.

Errrmmm... nice :angel:

Maggy 04-05-2011 20:45
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wayfair (Post 35228919)
Errrmmm... nice :angel:
Actually it's a very attractive plant with silvery leaves.:)

joglynne 04-05-2011 20:54
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maggy J (Post 35228922)
Actually it's a very attractive plant with silvery leaves.:)
I think it is the Fennel and Anise that gives the absinthe it's aniseed flavour rather than the Wormwood which has a more bitter taste.

Maggy 04-05-2011 21:14
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by joglynne (Post 35228929)
I think it is the Fennel and Anise that gives the absinthe it's aniseed flavour rather than the Wormwood which has a more bitter taste.
Yes they used to feed wormwood drenched food to naughty nuns as a punishment because of the bitter taste.:)

Dai 04-05-2011 22:36
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
and it was a traditional treatment for intestinal worms, hence the name.

Mr_love_monkey 05-05-2011 07:42
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maggy J (Post 35228893)
I used to have a wormwood bush.Interesting scent..not at all like aniseed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maggy J (Post 35228922)
Actually it's very attractive with silvery leaves.:)
you're killing me here...

Maggy 05-05-2011 09:47
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr_love_monkey (Post 35229195)
you're killing me here...
You missed one..;)

Ignitionnet 05-05-2011 18:55
Re: Absinthe in France: Legalising the 'green fairy'
 
Had some ~80% stuff and some ~65%. The 65% had a much more pleasant flavour, the 80% had none.

It can be quite tasty but you may as well just drink moonshine if you are popping the super strong stuff.


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