Absinthe

A distilled, high alcohol content, anise flavored spirit. It is derived from flowers and leaves from the wormwood plant, fennel and anise, often called the holy trinity. It is often mistake for a liqueur; however, it is not a liqueur because it contains no sugar. Absinthe is considered the green fairy because of its color. Due to the high alcohol content and oils, absinthe drinkers usually add 3-5 parts ice water to one part absinthe. Absinthe is slightly bitter. It originated in Switzerland as an elixir in the early 19th century. Currently the USA has a ban on absinthe being imported. In other countries like Switzerland it can be purchased. Absinthe was banned in most countries for the last 100 or so years. However, this was declared legal in 2006. It can be found in spirit stores such as under names like Absent, Lucid, and Absinth. Absinthe is traditionally prepared with water and sugar, with a spirit/water ratio of 1:3 to 1:5. The alcohol is poured into a glass and a slotted spoon is placed in the rim with a sugar cube on top of the spoon. Ice water is slowly poured onto the cube, and the sugar water mixes with the absinthe to create a milky green mixture called a louche (pronounced loosh in French)