Does anyone know what absinthe is??

Question

Where get I get it in Canada? How can I prepare?
I tried it as a shot without anything in it and it was awful!!

Answer 1

It's a liqueur made of coriander seed or fennel seed, I forget which. It used to be made in Hungary and is now illegal, because it is faaar too alcoholic, and has a terrible effect on the human brain. Van Gogh cut off his ear under the effects of absinthe.
There is now a lobby trying to get the European Union to legalise it again.

Answer 2

1.The Thujone is the hallucenogenic in the drink that caused it to be outlawed in the first place. The concentrations were too high. This is carefully regulated now around the world.

2. Absinthe is NOT illegal.

3. Van Gogh didn't cut off his ear. He cut off his earLOBE while intoxicated on the Thujone in the drink.

3. You might try www.absinthe.bz. I know I've shopped there in roughly the last year, and the products are good quality. They have an 'Absinthe Miniature Collection' for those who aren't sure what kind they want. It was 4 or 5 bottles, with an Absinthe spoon, for under 75$ if I remember correctly. And, they ship to Canada.

They also have a FAQ page, if you have any questions.

Be warned: Real Absinthe is not cheap.

side note: Absinthe is not the only drink on the market with Thujone in it. In fact, Vermouth, Chartreuse, and Benedictine all contain small amounts of thujone. Vermouth, which is made using the flower heads from wormwood, actually takes its name from the German "wermuth" ("wormwood").

Hope it helps some. Good luck.

Answer 3

Any finer liquor store will carry absinthe, you just have to call around. They will also tell you how to prepare it or you can research at your local library or on the internet. The purer absinthe requires preparation by burning it in a sugar cube or something like this. (It's been awhile and I don't remember the exact process anymore). But I do remember that when you drink it, it's lovely, lovely, lovely. Enjoy!

Answer 4

Wikipedia does, as well as the extremely large resource sites it links to. Unfortunately it seems few here bother to read before answering. Maybe they should.

No I'm not cynical, or are I?

Edit to Add: Canada has limited selection, the majority of it isn't real absinthe. You may be able to find LaFee absinthe in a store there.
(random cynical amazement, after posting this more misinformation followed.)

Answer 5

Artemisia absinthium - also called wormwood

you can get it at the LCBO - I drank a bottle last week - it is 50 % alcohol - it cost about 100 dollars for 40 ounces - its worth trying . I think it is more of a status or lifestyle statement to drink it. Come an join us on the higher level of life - drink absinthe

Answer 6

Absinthe (also absinth) (IPA English: [ˈæbsɪnθ] IPA French: [ap.sɛ̃t]) is a distilled, highly alcoholic, anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs including the flowers and leaves of the medicinal plant Artemisia absinthium, also called wormwood. Although it is sometimes incorrectly called a liqueur, absinthe does not contain added sugar and is therefore classified as a liquor or spirit.[1]

Absinthe is often referred to as la Fée Verte ("The Green Fairy") because of its coloring — typically pale or emerald green, but sometimes clear. Due to its high proof and concentration of oils, absintheurs (absinthe drinkers) typically add three to five parts ice-cold water to a dose of absinthe, which causes the drink to turn cloudy (called "louching"); often the water is used to dissolve added sugar to decrease bitterness. This preparation is considered an important part of the experience of drinking absinthe, so much so that it has become ritualized, complete with special slotted absinthe spoons and other accoutrements. Absinthe's flavor is similar to anise-flavored liqueurs, with a light bitterness and greater complexity imparted by multiple herbs.

Absinthe originated in Switzerland as an elixir, but is better known for its popularity in late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers whose romantic associations with the drink still linger in popular culture. In its heyday, the most popular brand of absinthe worldwide was Pernod Fils. At the height of this popularity, absinthe was portrayed as a dangerously addictive, psychoactive drug; the chemical thujone was blamed for most of its deleterious effects. By 1915 it was banned in a number of European countries and the United States. Even though it was vilified, no evidence shows it to be any more dangerous than ordinary alcohol although few modern medical studies have been conducted to test this. A modern absinthe revival began in the 1990s, as countries in the European Union began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale.

Preparation:
Traditionally, absinthe is poured into a glass over which a specially designed slotted spoon is placed. A sugar cube is then deposited in the bowl of the spoon. Ice-cold water is poured or dripped over the sugar until the drink is diluted 3:1 to 5:1. During this process, the components that are not soluble in water, mainly those from anise, fennel and star anise, come out of solution and cloud the drink; the resulting milky opalescence is called the louche (Fr. "opaque" or "shady", IPA [luʃ]). The addition of water is important, causing the herbs to "blossom" and bringing out many of the flavors originally overpowered by the anise. For most people, a good quality absinthe should not require sugar, but it is added according to taste and will also thicken the mouth-feel of the drink.

With increased popularity, the absinthe fountain, a large jar of ice water on a base with spigots, came into use. It allowed a number of drinks to be prepared at once, and with a hands-free drip patrons were able to socialize while louching a glass.

Although many bars served absinthe in standard glasses, a number of glasses were specifically made for absinthe, having a dose line, bulge or bubble in its lower portion to mark how much absinthe should be poured into it (often around 1 oz (30 ml)).

Answer 7

You are supposed to pour the absinthe into the glass over a sugar cube to improve the taste.

Answer 8

It is an opiated liquor.

Supposedly the greatest thinkers drank it for it's enlightening effects. People like van gogh . . .

Really, they were getting off on the opium

You can't really find it anymore, since opium is illegal. I've seen things called absinthe, but on the lable it says 'contains no opiates'

Answer 9

Same thing it was the last 50000 times this question was asked in here. Just FYI, there's a search box near the top that allows you to enter a keyword and search for it. It can prevent you from losing 5 points and asking the same question that's already been answered hundreds of times.

Good luck to you and I hope you find the info you are loking for. : )

Answer 10

I know what it is.

go to Spain and try some. You can get it by the bottle