The Absinthe Ritual
Sep. 6th, 2012 08:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tinhuvielA month or so back, I got a bottle of Absinthe. When I first opened the bottle, I decided to photograph what the ritual looked like for anyone who had not seen the movie, From Hell, or those who have and had questions about what was going on. This may also be interesting to fans of the movie, Deceiver.
The first thing you do, is set up for the Absinthe ritual. You will need a glass, the Absinthe spoon, and Absinthe (obviously), sugar cubes, a glass of water, and some matches. A lighter really wouldn't work unless you want to end up in the burn center and on America's Dumbest Dummies
Position the spoon over the rim of the empty glass, and place one to three sugar cubes on it.
Pour the Absinthe over the sugar cubs.
Take a lighted match and touch the flame to the sugar cubes. Let the burning sugar drip into the Absinthe. Then, take the spoon with the remaining sugar and stir into the Absinthe until the sugar is dissolved, or mostly dissolved.
Add water to taste and stir again. This creates the louche. Some folks don't even add water, but I don't suggest it. Absinthe is a very strong liquor that may make you wish you were dead if you drank it straight.
One thing about Absinthe you may want to know: it is a spirit quite favoured by artists, musicians, and writers because of its potential mind-altering effects. It differs from regular liquor in that it contains Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), which is a hallucinogen. The thujone levels in modern Absinthe are a bit lower than they were in the days of Vincent van Gogh and Oscar Wilde, but the spirit does seem to give Good Dreams, sleeping and waking. Just be careful. You don't want to peel the skin off your legs with a paring knife, like the guy in Deceiver did.
EDIT: This is the Czech version of the ritual. There is also a French version, which I'll photograph at a later date, when I have more Absinthe.
The first thing you do, is set up for the Absinthe ritual. You will need a glass, the Absinthe spoon, and Absinthe (obviously), sugar cubes, a glass of water, and some matches. A lighter really wouldn't work unless you want to end up in the burn center and on America's Dumbest Dummies
Position the spoon over the rim of the empty glass, and place one to three sugar cubes on it.
Pour the Absinthe over the sugar cubs.
Take a lighted match and touch the flame to the sugar cubes. Let the burning sugar drip into the Absinthe. Then, take the spoon with the remaining sugar and stir into the Absinthe until the sugar is dissolved, or mostly dissolved.
Add water to taste and stir again. This creates the louche. Some folks don't even add water, but I don't suggest it. Absinthe is a very strong liquor that may make you wish you were dead if you drank it straight.
One thing about Absinthe you may want to know: it is a spirit quite favoured by artists, musicians, and writers because of its potential mind-altering effects. It differs from regular liquor in that it contains Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), which is a hallucinogen. The thujone levels in modern Absinthe are a bit lower than they were in the days of Vincent van Gogh and Oscar Wilde, but the spirit does seem to give Good Dreams, sleeping and waking. Just be careful. You don't want to peel the skin off your legs with a paring knife, like the guy in Deceiver did.
EDIT: This is the Czech version of the ritual. There is also a French version, which I'll photograph at a later date, when I have more Absinthe.
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no subject
Date: 2012-09-07 01:25 am (UTC)Dig the Icon BTW
Date: 2012-09-07 03:16 am (UTC)But I like the weird dreamy Absinthe scene from Moulin Rouge.. thought I wasn't a huge fan of the film, if that makes sense.
Zuzu
Re: Dig the Icon BTW
Date: 2012-09-07 03:32 am (UTC)Re: Dig the Icon BTW
Date: 2012-09-07 03:39 am (UTC)Sigh. Some love it, some hate it. It has a few drug fueled groovy, trippy scenes, but the rest of the time it tries to me a romantic love story with a twist on modern music and...well... I just wasn't amused. Everybody I knew thought I would. I love romance, musicals, and groovy scenes that are dreamy and druggy, but somehow, this didn't do it for me. I know people that swear by it... But not I, Sam-I-am. Jerome Kerns, Robert Wise, Vincent Minnelli, or Bob Fosse can do my musicals, thank you much. LOL
But with everything, it's subjective hon. And has quite the little absinthe scene.
Zu-
Re: Dig the Icon BTW
Date: 2012-09-07 03:47 am (UTC)Re: Dig the Icon BTW
Date: 2012-09-07 06:10 pm (UTC)see my lj icon
Date: 2012-09-07 06:09 pm (UTC)I'm not the hugest fan of the taste, although I did find a brand made w/o anise, which IMHO is much better.
But absinthe intoxication is most amusing...
Re: see my lj icon
Date: 2012-09-07 06:33 pm (UTC)Re: see my lj icon
Date: 2012-09-07 08:58 pm (UTC)Re: see my lj icon
Date: 2012-09-07 10:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-08 02:06 am (UTC)Perhaps I should drink it, someday. I have all the accoutrements.
I'm a little skeert.
no subject
Date: 2012-09-08 02:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-08 02:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-08 03:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-10 05:14 am (UTC)