Absinthe- The Tale of a Green Fairy!!

Recently I got exposed to many theories regarding the green fairy. And that led me to write this, about arguably the most delusional drinking spirit; the Absinthe. First, please do not treat absinthe as a shot of tequila. Because of the simple reason, that it isn’t tequila. It is not a drink for a round of “bottoms-up” in a party!! Moreover it should never be consumed like that. Take your time to make it right. It’s an expensive bottle with a delicate flavour which has to be savoured, rather than gulping it down the throat with a timer on! In this post, I have tried to portray the green magic in a way that is appealing to our Indian taste. And what more, it will never leave you with a hangover to deal with later!

Absinthe is one of the most alcoholic distilled spirit found in the world, with a total alcoholic volume of 65 to 75%. It has a strong flavour of fennel (saunf), something that we Indians don’t consider a cocktail flavour. Our tastes compel us to associate fennel with mouth fresheners. After a hearty Indian meal, that paan walla’s paan (betel leaf laden with a sweet cocktail of fennel seeds, betel nuts and sweetened dry fruits) is what we look out for. So for me, my first thought while having absinthe was, Paan!! And so I introduced my friends to an after meal liqueur, which is just about right for our matured, yet a hearty Indian Taste!!!

So if you are having a cocktail party, indulge your guests to a small helping of absinthe to end the party. Making the perfect glass of the green fairy is laborious, never-the-less very satisfying. One helping is good enough for 6 shot glasses. Perfect end to a perfectly beautiful meal, the Indian way!!

Ingredients:

30 ml absinthe

Cold water

1 sugar cube

Absinthe strainer, comes with the bottle

6 chilled shot glasses

1 tall water tumbler

Ice (optional)

Method:

The first step is to make the apparatus required. Assemble the absinthe strainer and the sugar cube on a tall water tumbler as shown here.

Now pour in 30 ml of absinthe, passing it through the sugar cube.

Slowly drip in cold water (drop-by-drop), and let it dissolve the sugar cube into the absinthe below.

Once the sugar dissolves in, adjust water to suit your taste. Remember, it is at least 60% alcohol, so filling up the glass with a bit more water will be a good idea.

Divide it equally between half a dozen shot glasses and enjoy!!

 For any further clarifications, feel free to write in. Cheers!!