This Absinthe Accessory Set includes two ALANDIA Absinthe Spoons Classic as well as one large bag of Absinthe Sugar Cubes individually wrapped in paper, perfect for the traditional preparation of your Absinthe (more information about the Absinthe ritual can be found below).
The included Absinthe spoons from ALANDIA are a faithful reproduction of vintage originals. This gives you the desired nostalgic aura. The spoons are not only authentic, but also made of stainless steel in high quality. This distinguishes them from the usual "cheap Absinthe spoons" made of tin or aluminum. The Classic Spoons have a rhomboid patterned spoon surface through which the sugar drips into the Absinthe together with the water during the Absinthe ritual. The sides of the spoon are slightly bent upwards so that the sugar cube cannot slip. The curvature of the handle gives a firm fit of the spoon on the rim of the Absinthe glass. These small details contribute to the high functionality of the spoon. Its weight is 15 grams, i.e. it lies pleasantly heavy in the hand. As it is made of dishwasher safe stainless steel, a long life (and beautiful appearance) is also given.
Absinthe: Why was it banned?
At the time of the ban, the Green Fairy was considered a drink that made people go crazy and violent. A spectacular murder case in 1905 was decisive: Mr. Jean Lanfray, a Swiss farmer with an obvious alcohol problem, murdered his wife and children while intoxicated. Appalled by the brutality of the act, a trigger was quickly found: The devilish schnapps absinthe, for in addition to several glasses of wine and cognac, the farmer had drunk a glass of the high-proof spirit. The prohibitionists had found what they were looking for, and now they had a media-effective event that justified their interests in banning the drink. In their opinion, absinthe was poisonous, causes hallucinations and leads to a decline of morals and social order. The only help is a ban!
The murder case was a decisive point for the prohibition of absinthe, as it intensified the discussions about the drink, its ingredients and its effects. At first glance, the story seemed to show clearly what absinthe can do diabolical things. However, the farmer had already drunk a lot of (other) alcohol that evening before he finally added two glasses of absinthe. This fact, however, was concealed because the drink was already considered poisonous by many parts of society. The Green Fairy had to be used more and more as a scapegoat for all social problems. Last but not least, the wine industry advocated a ban, because absinthe producers were new competitors on the market, which could be easily removed by banning the drink.
So whether absinthe is poisonous or not has always been asked. Fact is, real absinthe is made from wormwood and wormwood contains the active ingredient thujone. Thujone can actually be poisonous. Nevertheless, thujone is only harmful to health in very high doses. Absinthe does not contain so much thujone that we have to worry about our health. This means that absinthe is not poisonous and has therefore been legalized again. It is important to mention here that absinthe did not contain thujone anymore in the past. Historical absinthes were analyzed and the amount of thujone was below the legal amount of today: 35 mg/liter.
Absinthe: How to drink it
First fill the absinthe glass with 0.7 oz (20 ml) of absinthe and then fill the absinthe spoon with one or two sugar cubes. Then pour cold water from an absinthe carafe (or absinthe fountain) over the sugar. Now the Absinthe starts to cloud over, the "Louche" starts. The Absinthe is ready when Absinthe and water are completely mixed. We recommend a mixing ratio of one part Absinthe to three parts water. In the times of the Belle Époque people used to meet at the so-called "Heure Verte", the green hour to drink their glass of Absinthe. The Absinthe Set comes with a free drinking instruction card.
