The Green Fairy

The Scouts are intrigued by the resurgence of the ritual of drinking absinthe. It seems absinthe takes its name from the botanical identity of wormwood and dates back to the late 1700’s when a French doctor first came up with the concoction. In the mid 1800’s the potion became associated with the Parisian bohemian scene and was often featured in the paintings of Picasso and the like. It was the inexpensive imitations of the liquor that began to give absinthe the evil reputation that led to its banning in almost every country.

So what is modern absinthe really like? It is an anise flavored spirit, not a liqueur, as true absinthe is unsweetened. It has only been recently distilled again here in the United States, just since 2007. The ritual of preparing an absinthe cocktail is quite a production. A shot of the green spirit is placed in the bottom of a glass. A sugar cube is placed atop a slotted spoon which is laid across the rim of the glass and ice water is poured very slowly over it, so that the absinthe is diluted to a ratio of around 4:1, until the drink becomes very cloudy and white. With the increased popularity of absinthe, fountains are often used to disperse more than one cocktail at once. Note: there is no burning involved in the preparation of absinthe and it is certainly not a hallucinogen. However, it does contain a fair amount of alcohol, and if you drink too many of these, you WILL see the “Green Fairy” the next morning.

The Scouts have recently sourced our own paraphernalia for those of you wanting to explore the mystery and ritual of absinthe. All our wares are made in France and we currently carry a lovely pressed glass, two different specialized slotted spoons and a four spigot fountain. Why not have an absinthe party with a green theme? How perfect for Halloween. Swing by the studio and let us help you brainstorm a fun and unique event.