The Cocktail Napkin -- Absinthe

By Jo Petteruti, Mixologist and Owner, Jo's Stillwater Tea Room -- Today's Cocktail Napkin is about Absinthe - it has an interesting history and it's a local product to boot! Did you know that Absinthe was banned in a number of countries from 1910 until 1915?  The United States decided to jump aboard that wagon and banned the spirit in 1912 as a knee-jerk reaction against crime and other “atrocities” attributed to the consumption of alcohol.  Remember, this was during the time period leading up to Prohibition, when the Temperance movement was growing in strength and support. Back then it was also thought that Absinthe had mind-altering effects and could cause a person to “go mad”...   In some respects, that could be true because most varieties of Absinthe would have an alcohol by volume (ABV) rating of 60% or more (that's 120 proof or greater).  I suppose that drinking enough of a spirit of that strength could inspire some madness, and probably even knock one out cold.  That second aspect could also be why Absinthe was referred to as “the snoring drink” back in the 1880s. Absinthe was considered a banned spirit in the United States from 1912 until 2007, when the theories upholding the ban were finally challenged.  The ban was based primarily on technicalities within the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the agency that approves or rejects spirits to gauge whether the spirit is dangerous to the public's health or not.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raised concerns because Absinthe is made in part from the Wormwood plant, and that plant naturally produces a chemical called “thujone” which the FDA considered harmful when consumed in certain quantities.  Coincidentally, the thujone compound is also found in the common spice sage and in white cedar.  But modern technology saved the day when distillers were able to prove that most of the thujone was removed from the spirit during the final distilling process. Absinthe, by its nature is a little bitter, complex and tastes mainly like anise or very strong black licorice.  Here in Fallon, we are fortunate to have the Frey Ranch Estate Distillery, a world-class facility right in our backyard.  The description of their Absinthe from their web site https://freyranch.com/absinthe/  is as follows:  “Our Reserve Absinthe is meticulously crafted using estate grown grain and botanicals sourced from around the world. For 35 days we distill and soak 11 different herbs including Pontica Wormwood and Grand Wormwood for the perfect blend of flavors. The gentle extraction of herbal oils creates a natural green hue, resulting in a sophisticated yet bold spirit to liven up any evening.”    The Frey Absinthe has an ABV of 60%, so that bold spirit can definitely liven an evening! As you can imagine, Absinthe is a special spirit and suited to only a few specialty cocktails.  I recently read that the Freyhound (Frey's version of the Greyhound) can be made with a float of Absinthe over a mix of Frey Vodka and San Pellegrino Sparkling Grapefruit juice, and the Tea Room has served this cocktail from time to time. We also serve a prohibition-era cocktail called the Sazerac - here's our recipe for that: Sazerac Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. Frey Ranch Absinthe
• 1 tsp. Simple Syrup
• 3 – 4 dashes Peychauds Bitters
• 3 oz. Bulleit Rye Whiskey – Pendleton 1910 Rye and Woody Creek Rye are also nice choices
• Lemon zest for rim and garnish

Preparation:

• Chill an old-fashioned (rocks) glass, then dump the ice used to chill it.
• Coat the inside of the glass with the Absinthe, leaving a slight puddle in the bottom of the glass.
• Add a good scoop of ice to a cocktail shaker, then add the Rye, syrup and bitters. Cover and shake well until icy cold.
• Strain the shaker's ingredients into the prepared glass – or pour the mix and ice into the glass if you like your drink on the rocks.
• Run the lemon zest around the rim of the glass, twist into a little curl over the glass, then garnish the drink with it.

Sip and enjoy... Ciao!   Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.