Also called 'La Fee Verte' ('The Green Fairy') Absinthe a distilled spirit that was banned in France from 1915 to 2001 has made a comeback there as a trendy aperitif.
Before the ban it was reputed to drive people to madness and even murder.
In The Book of Absinthe, the author Phil Baker reminds us how popular it was with Alfred Jarry, Toulouse-Lautrec, Verlaine, Rimbaud, Baudelaire, Oscar Wilde and other celebrities of the time.
Distillerie Pierre Guy in Pontarlier was one of the original producers and offers it again.
The photo to the left illustrates how the aperitif is served.
On top of each glass is a spoon containing a sugar cube and the aperitif is served in a slow drip from the fountain.
Do not think that such a strong 'medicine' will turn you into a famous writer though!
Other cocktails from distant shores: Agua de Valencia versus Agua Loca
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