A Drink Hipper Than The Martini

0 Comments | Rating: 0 | |

I was browsing through an antique shop and I noticed some interesting little spoons. They were pointy with slots in them. They also had a slot in the handle and I wasn't sure what it would be used for. A knowledgeable lady at the antique store explained to me that they were absinthe spoons.

Tools Of The Trade

Apparently in order to drink absinthe you need to add something to make it sweet. Absinthe also needs to be diluted because of the high alcohol content. This fascinated me because I like drinks that require cool tools to prepare. That is why I am a fan of martinis. I like the cool stemmed martini glasses and antique martini shakers.

Keep in mind that all alcohol should be consumed responsibly. Most people already know how to make a martini. Although making a good one can be an art form. But, if you are curious how Absinthe is prepared the following information will be useful.

How To Prepare Absinthe

The traditional way to prepare absinthe is to fill a glass with a shot of the mysterious green liquid. Then place a slotted spoon on top of the glass. The slot in the handle will rest on the rim of the glass. Then place a sugar cube on top of the spoon then pour ice cold water on top of the sugar cube so the sugar dissolves into the glass and the water dilutes the alcohol content.

A good mix is one part absinthe to five parts water. During this process the drink will become cloudy this is caused by the herbs present in the absinthe. Anise, fennel, and star anise help give absinthe it distinctive color and flavor.

Bohemian Method

Another method sometimes called the Bohemian method uses heat. You still pour a shot of absinthe, and place an absinthe spoon, with a sugar cube, on top of the glass. But the sugar cube is soaked in absinthe and then set on fire. The burning sugar cube is dumped into the absinthe which then catches on fire.

The fire is finally put out with a shot of cool water. This method creates a stronger drink than the French method. Restaurants would serve absinthe with water, sugar, and the special spoon. Later on, other tools evolved. Such as the absinthe fountain, which could be used to create several drinks at once.