I really hate the stereotypes and misinformation about Absinthe. Maybe its my experience as an art and history lover, or my experience as a bartender, but it annoys me. I have researched a lot about the Belle Epoque, and Absinthe’s role in the Art Nouveau movement of the time…which I love. A lot of research has come about surrounding the legalization of Absinthe in America….and I wish everyone would get informed, instead of saying “oh Absinthe is some crazy shit, makes you hallucinate!” or “Absinthe can kill you, wormwood can seriously screw you up!” I despise when people care about it for the thrill factor. The idea of NOT experiencing Absinthe as it was originally intended….in a more civilized age, slowly, contemplatively, with the spoon and the water and louche…is inane to me. Much like traditional hookah, Absinthe is a practice steeped in meaning, history, and tradition. Its connection to the arts, and the beauty of the patience and thought one can experience while going through an Absinthe ritual, seems fascinating to me. I’m really excited to be able to experience it legally. Anyone else who feels this way as well, or wants to know what the heck I’m talking about…please visit a researched, informed, intelligent and loyal Absinthe site: www.wormwoodsociety.org. These people are very well rounded, with an FAQ, history, myth dispelling facts, reviews, debunking drinks that CLAIM to be Absinthe but aren’t, etc. I learned a lot from them.
Now, only to visit the Absinthe Bar in New Orleans….
