One spirit for the absinthe-minded
Oscar Wilde once said: “There is nothing more poetic in the world than a glass of absinthe. What difference is there between a glass of absinthe and a sunset?” The mistress of celebrated artists like Picasso and Van Gogh and the muse of the likes of Wilde is slowly and steadily making her entry into India. Famously called the Green Fairy, absinthe has been the forbidden spirit in many countries thanks to the hallucinogenic effects of wormwood in it.
Today, a less potent but equally tasty version is being sold across the world. Several European countries liberally sell the spirit in a range from 45 per cent ABV to 75 per cent, which itself is rather strong. That also explains why absinthe is meant to be drunk in small portions. Its refreshing anise seed flavour makes it an instant favourite with connoisseurs.
Says Frederic Fernandez of the French restaurant Chez Vous in Mumbai, “Absinthe needs to be watered down with chilled water and drunk with a bit of sugar to sweeten its taste. One of the best ways to have it is to ‘beat the absinthe’ and to pour the chilled water very slowly from a high position. That is why absinthe fountains were designed.”
Frederic also says that one could “surprise one’s absinthe” by allowing the water to trickle very slowly over the sugar. “The water and essential oils fuse gradually. At first nothing happens, then a whitish volute forms and rises. A slow drop-to-drop action enhances the aromas. When it comes specifically to the lighting up of the sugar cube, this action doesn’t add anything in terms of flavour to the absinthe. It just adds some drama.”
While there is no special time to drink an absinthe, as with all aperitif, best is to drink it before a meal. You will especially enjoy it when the weather is really hot. Frederic adds, “Pair it with something light (like white fish, chicken, some mussels) and slightly flavoured with something that recalls more or less absinthe aromas (fennel, vanilla).”
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