Thursday, December 13, 2012

Still Need To Try This Sometime

Absinthe.

Whiskey gets all the fun: the Jon Hamms and Christina Hendricks-es of the world showboat it, bands like Bon Iver and Chromeo shill for it. Any drink by comparison will look a bit lacking in pop culture—but you're particularly behind if you've only been legal in the states for five years.

So sits absinthe. It was once said to be a favorite of classical culture. Artists like Van Gogh, Picasso and Gauguin have all been associated (no, it is not directly responsible for ear slicing) and Ernest Hemingway snuck it into For Whom The Bell Tolls.


It's sort of like the drinker's version of pipe smoking, with a fussy ritual to go through if you wish to make the most out of it. And no, fire isn't involved in the traditional absinthe ritual:

3 comments:

ProudHillbilly said...

There is a great documentary out on Netflix titled "Absinthe" that gives a lot of fascinating detail about its history and its current revival.

Bob said...

@ProudHillbilly: I'm actually a member of the Wormwood Society forum, back from before the relaxation of the customs laws, when you had to pay couriers to bring your absinthe into the country. *grins*

Rev. Paul said...
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