Yesterday afternoon, we were given the green light to go check out The Green Hour, Étoile Cuisine et Bar‘s absinthe happy-hour menu. Beverage director Kimberly Paul walked us through the wormwood- and anise-flavored spirit’s history while we sipped different varieties and slipped back to an earlier bohemian era.
Absinthe gained popularity as an alcoholic drink in France in the late 19th- and early 20th-century. Before then, in the mid 19th century during the French colonial wars in North Africa, it had been used for medicinal purposes by French soldiers to cure malaria. Its medicinal beginnings are somewhat reminiscent of other spirits and liqueurs like brandy, bitters, gin, etc.
Drinking absinthe soon turned into an enjoyable habit, and it didn’t take long for a public love affair to start with la fee verte (“the green lady”). Many bohemian artists and writers also became fond of the emerald drink, believing a good buzz would boost creativity, including lover-of-libations Ernest Hemingway.
His drink Death in the Afternoon (photo below), a simple combination of absinthe and Champagne, is $7 (along with other cocktails) during Étoile’s The Green Hour (4:30 to 6 pm).
“Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly.” – Ernest Hemingway
So Absinthe had had its first rise. And then came its fall during France’s Belle Époque (Beautiful Era) before World War I. A drink that was rumored to have hallucinogenic properties had no place in a time of peace and progress. By 1915, the spirit was banned in the United States and across Europe, including France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Brazil, Switzerland and Austria-Hungary.
A century later, and absinthe had risen from its ashes. The early 2000s saw the repeal of absinthe bans around the world. And just like that, the world was back to drinking absinthe.
So how do you drink this notorious spirit? Start with diluting the absinthe with cold water (and a sugar cube for most American palates). Dilution is key here. Absinthes are bottled around 70 percent ABV, so a little water and sugar is necessary to make the drink palatable (and enjoyable). Over at Étoile, the highest-proof absinthe they carry is Kübler Verte Suisse, coming in at a whopping 72 percent ABV.
You’ll want the water to slowly drip into the absinthe – collectors, here’s your chance to acquire vintage absinthe spoons, fountains, pipes, etc. As the water drips into the absinthe, the mixture begins to look cloudy and milky. This is known as le louche (aka “the clouding”). Depending on the herbs used in the making of the absinthe – warmwood, hysop, anise seed, star anise, licorice, veronica – le louche may have different hues from the chlorophyll from the herbs. At Étoile, you’ll find absinthes on the menu that are cloudy white, chartreuse green and pale blue.
Paul’s favorite absinthe is Butterfly, which she enjoys paired with strawberries for an unexpected, bright finish and with dark chocolate (her favorite absinthe food pairing). As with wines and other spirits, food pairings greatly affect the taste of the absinthe. For something ultra strange, sip the green lady while nibbling on olives and blue cheese. (Note: It’s not for everyone!)
Paul has collected vintage glassware and serving ware for absinthe, so during Étoile’s Green Hour (or any hour), you’ll experience it in the traditional fashion. She’s there to talk you through the options – there are usually six absinthes to choose from on the menu, each served traditionally with water and sugar for $12. (The absinthes are also available on the regular menu at the standard price.)
If available, we suggest you request the three-chamber glass Slipstream (or “the pipe,” photo below) as the drinking vessel. They’ll pour the absinthe into the bottom chamber of this all-in-one louching device, then drop the sugar cube into the second chamber and top with ice and cold water. You’ll blow into the glass straw to combine the absinthe and water, and then use the same straw to sip the beverage.
If absinthe isn’t for you, don’t worry. Go ahead and accept the invitation to The Green Hour at Étoile and enjoy other cocktails for $7 and small bites like beef short rib sliders, melted brie tartine, crabcake lollipops or country-style pâté. You wouldn’t want to be absinthe from the party.
Étoile Cuisine et Bar, 1101-11 Uptown Park, 832-668-5808, etoilecuisine.com