How to Serve Absinthe

The serving of absinthe is something of a ritual. It involves pouring water over lumps of sugar sitting on special spoons. The ritual arose because vintage absinthe was unsweetened and slightly too bitter for some palates, and the sugar needed to sweeten it would not dissolve in the liqueur's 68% to 72% alcohol content. We used a bottle of "Absente, Liqueur aux Plantes d'Absinthe" which came with its own spoon. My brother and his wife bought this delightful spirited hooch in Paris and they shared it with us last week.

Step 1: Pour a measure of absinthe into a tall glass. Step 2: Place a slotted absinthe spoon over the glass and place a sugar cube on it. Step 3: Slowly pour 4 to 5 parts of iced water over the sugar and let it drip into the glass. The absinthe will turn from emerald green to a milky white. Step 4: Sip slowly and imagine yourself in a Belle Epoque Parisian cafe. Click here for a Brief History of Absinthe.