Absinthe! The very name conjures up potent images of gas lit streets, silk top hats, wild bohemian painters and magical dangers. Nearly a century after its ban in the United States in 1912, Absinthe still fuels the imagination and is the source of much misunderstanding.

Behind the bar I often overhear many incorrect ideas concerning the ‘green muse’. This is to be expected I suppose - after being banned and locked away for close to a hundred years. Hopefully this brief primer can help dispel some of the mystery surrounding this much-maligned liquor.

First, it’s important to know that absinthe, even that made with wormwood (Artemisia absintheium), is perfectly legal and has been since 2007. Modern science was called in to dispute the claim that upon consuming this banned substance people would become insane, horribly addicted, hallucinate, kill or die! Powerful stuff indeed, but blessedly this is not the case. Although it is true that large quantities of woodworm (usually a few grams) can be fatal as it contains the neurotoxin, thujone; due to its incredibly bitter quantities, it would be a rugged individual indeed able to consume enough raw or dried woodworm to be fatal. If you could keep it down long enough it would be no accident!

But thanks to distillation, absinthe itself only contains 3-6 milligrams of wormwood - a safe amount. Long before the thujone in the woodworm could cause problems, the 120 proof (or higher) alcohol content in absinthe would be giving you real trouble. The high proof is required to extract the maximum amount of essential oils from the herbs used in flavoring absinthe - the higher the proof means more oil can be suspended in the absinthe.

These essential oils are released when water is added to absinthe - breaking the bonds between the two – and creating the clouding effect or the louche. From the color of this louche, and the flavor of course, you can tell what herbs are most dominant in whichever absinthe you are drinking. They are all very different. A heavy, emerald green denotes a heavy use of green anise. A more coppery color means citrus hyssop or mint.

The second most common misconception around absinthe is the idea that a sugar cube is suspended over the liquor upon serving and set afire. Sadly no - although this is an impressive spectacle, it is a modern invention more suited for Hollywood than history. Nothing new there – in films such as Moulin Rouge with Kylie Minogue’s wonderful 'green fairy' dance or the somber contemplative tipple that Johnny Depp creates in the bathtub in the movie From Hell - the idea of 'burning the cube' has caught the public imagination and is often expected. Although I have no doubt that this little flair does little to damage the drink, it certainly does nothing to create a better one. However, I will say lighting 120 proof booze in a crowded bar isn’t the safest of ideas. And why do that anyway? Would I set fire to a fine 20-year single malt scotch wasting all the hard work from the distiller? Of course not.

No, sadly for the showman, the old way is less dramatic. Take your absinthe, one or two ounces, in a small glass with a carafe of ice water on the side. Then simply add as much water as you like. The showier spectacle does the same but with the addition of the sugar cube placed on the absinthe spoon across the mouth of the glass - pour over this slowly using a little ice water to melt the sugar and stirring with the spoon when finished. Voila!

Upscale bars did, and still do, use an absinthe fountain. This beautiful device, made of glass, held a large quantity of ice water. The water is dispensed at the bottom through one or more silver taps. The glass is filled with the proper amount of absinthe, would be placed under one of these taps, and the tap screw turned for a steady drip of cold water to fall upon the suspended sugar cube over the glass. This allowed slow melting of the sugar cube. It took a little longer but well worth the wait. It is a pretty sight watching your absinthe slowly louching!

Finally, once can’t talk knowledgably about absinthe without understanding why it’s only recently been taken off the banned beverages list. Absinthe most certainly has been banned – and for good reason! – depending on ones point of view. Particularly if you’re a 19th century French winemaker.

I shall try to briefly explain. If you were a European wine producer during the last forty years of the 19th Century, you would have a very good reason indeed to be concerned about absinthe. In 1863, some American grape vines were shipped to England that contained a soon to be dreaded Phylloxera vastatrix, which is a root louse that would quickly decimate the vineyards of Europe. That made up the nature part, but the rest was political.

Simply put, the wine makers were losing money - as their crops withered and died their prices increased. This made the much more cheaply made absinthe more attractive. To be seen drinking the now more costly wine was viewed as unaffordable at best, bourgeoisie at worst!

Of course absinthe hadn’t suddenly appeared on the scene - by this time it had been a country drink and medicine for some decades. A French Legionnaire had long been accustomed to the flavor of absinthe used to prevent dysentery and to treat fevers. Absinthe, as alcohol will do, was used to disinfect the water supply for the soldiers. So it wasn’t long before the taste of Absinthe cut with water was a familiar and welcome taste to the fighting men of France. Without a doubt, absinthe would have been most welcome in combating the dreariness of a soldiers life while stationed in Algeria.

Upon their return to the home county, the Legionnaire would seek out the la fée verte in cafes and bars, increasing its popularity and sales. With the cafes filled with absinthe drinking peasants, writers, ex-soldiers, poets and painters, a whole culture developed around this cloudy, potent green beverage.

“It will not do!” was the cry from the wine makers and the increasingly powerful temperance movement. Taking an unfortunate, but unrelated incident in 1905 involving a drunkard and his murdered family, these groups joined forces to eliminate their hated opponent and rival, absinthe!

By this time, other nations had caught the temperance fever - even in the liberty loving U.S.A! - and by 1915 France was the last to finally ban this perceived evil. The rest, as they say, is history.

So briefly, there you have it. Much more could be, and has been written on the subject of absinthe. Most recently two fine books, “Absinthe: Sip of Seduction” by Betina J. Wittels and Robert Hermesch (2008), and “The Little Green Book of Absinthe” by Paul Owens and Paul Nathan (2010). Among many other useful guides is “A Modern Herbal” by Mrs. M. Grieve, in two volumes, (1931).

To see and taste for yourself Wormwood Green Anise or any other herb you can think of, I suggest a trip to the Phoenix Herb Company at 4305 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111 #816-531-8327 or www.phoenixherbcompany.com

Above all, I invite you to the R Bar to try our ever-increasing selection of absinthes…and maybe even meet the green fairy herself.

Shawn Moriarity
Bartender

I once lost it on a cook that put coriander into my veal stock. This guy had a habit of throwing coriander into everything, and quite frankly it really bothered me. “It’s just not appropriate for every application,” was my explanation. I have seen the light. Coriander is still not called for in everything, but the gentle, haunting flavor has worked its way into much of my food.

Can’t quite place in your mind what coriander tastes of? Think about a hot dog. That’s right the humble hot dog is spiced with a heavy load of coriander. Coriander is so versatile—it is the seed of the ubiquitous cilantro plant—that I am able to put it into a delicious vinaigrette and I use to spice a cheesecake batter that enrobes a silky red velvet cake in one of our new desserts this season at R Bar.