I’ve been given the opportunity [via Fuelmyblog of course - you really should join up and join in] to try absinthe for the first time by the lovely people behind the Absinthe-Shop. I know, I know, at my age I should have tried it already ……… my innocence and ignorance knows no bounds.
Anyhoo my first problem was that there are no sugar cubes in the house – part of the ritual of drinking absinthe is dribbling ice cold water over a sugar cube placed on a special spoon with holes in it so the sugared water runs into the absinthe. The spoon was also kindly supplied by the Absinthe-Shop. I was going to ask Aloe Vera if she had a couple of lumps I could borrow to dribble over but decided against this as she tends to misunderstand me.
I spoke to Jen, one of the powers behind the Absinthe-Shop, and she told me that the type that I had been sent didn’t need sugar – marvellous.
I chilled some water and poured it onto the absinthe. It turned cloudy like pastis or ouzo does…… [Just had a Google - pastis emerged some 17 years later, following the ban on absinthe. Absinthe is unbanned now of course; you can read all about the ban on the Absinthe-Shop web site].
A sip …… mmmmmm.
Another sip ………..
Another sip ……… interesting.
The finish reminded me of pastis, but the flavours at the beginning are very ……. earthy. Rather nice actually.
Another sip ……
Another sip ……. very consistent ……… earthy, musky flavours and then the aniseed finish ……. very nice.
OK, I’m going to try it now with a little sugar mixed in although I can’t do the drizzling thing …….. ooooo, yes I can, the little sugar we’ve got has gone lumpy ……… result!
*balances carefully* …….. *dribbles even more carefully* ……
OK *sip* …….. mmmmm, even softer than before …….. very nice.
I AWARD ABSINTHE THE DP SEAL OF APPROVAL!!!!
I also award my seal of approval to the Absinthe Shop web site. It looks good, it works clearly and logically and there are some very interesting tidbits about the history of absinthe and the myths surrounding it. And, of course, there is a fine selection of different types of the elixir ……… well done Jen and Neil!!!! Now, get on with some arty farty stuff!!!!
.
Match of the Day
.
Stumble It!
9 Comments
Not really my tipple, but since it’s got the DP seal of approval and it’s a very nice looking shop, I might give it a sampling.
I like your little matchicidal escapee. Sacrificed all his relatives did he? Hmmm….
Always drink responsibly ……. in other words, never in a hammock ……..
Uncles and aunts are best but 1st cousins can be useful ……
Yuk, aniseed…
Love today’s ‘Match of the Day’ though.
Aniseed is nice ….. it reminds me of school …… not that I ever went of course ……
Love the new hat….http://goo.gl/FEXs
with thanks to Jean-Francois Raffaelli
That’s a nice piccy – I want to be the glum one …… oh, they’re both glum I suppose ……..
I think it’s ‘cos they got sent sample bottles….
I’ve only got a little one as well …….
Attention, Lo, TG.
Never forget; “Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder”
…… and the knees collapse …….
i would call this ‘match of the day’ either “Teamwork” or “Management”…
The raft matches will drown of course …… still there you go …….
I found it so annoying when all that little sample bottle had gone and wanted more and more and more and … Oh I’ll stop now
It was enough for a couple of shots ……. about all I can manage nowadays …… *hic*
I love a good ritual
Isn’t that what covens do?
it is a proper description of how to consume absinthe!
amazing!!! and i surely certainly agree with you on that “…it makes the knees collapse…” 
xxxxx
I read the instructions very carefully …….. twice ….
yum I like absinthe [in moderation of course]… bought a bottle of it in France many years ago when you couldn’t buy it in the UK .. it has quite an interesting history
History is my middle name ……..