Absinthe Recipes
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True absinthe was marked by its intense green color (which
usually came from herbs other than wormwood, which is a gray-green at
best). This lead to cases in which the drink was adulterated with copper
salts, doubtless to the consumers detriment. The best absinthe contained
70-80% alcohol, which in itself makes a case for why it might be a
dangerous drink. Of beverages still legal for sale in most places, both
Campari and Fernet Branca contain wormwood, but are not nearly so
alcoholic.
The 1911 edition of the Britannica remarks, "There is some
reason to believe that excessive absinthe-drinking leads to effects
which are specifically worse than those associated with over-indulgence
in other forms of alcohol.
The manufacture and sale of true absinthe is still legal in
Spain.
Absinthe #1
1 pint vodka 2 tsp crumbled wormwood (dried)
2tsp anise seed 1/2 tsp fennel seed
4 cardomom pods 1 tsp majoram
1/2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp chopped angelica root
1 2/3 cups sugar syrup
Place vodka in large jar with tight fitting lid. Add wormwood and shake
well; steep 48 hrs and strain out. Crush seeds and pods in mortar. Add them
and all remaining spices to vodka and steep in a warm place 1 week.
Filter and sweeten. (The sugar syrup mentioned above is your standard
simple syrup.)
Absinthe #2
1 tsp crumbled wormwood 1 cup vodka
2 Tbsp chopped peppermint leaves
1 piece of lemon peel, 3/4"x2"
1/3-1/2 cup sugar syrup
Steep wormwood in vodka for 48 hours. Strain out and add peppermint
leaves and lemon peel. Steep for 8 days, strain nd sweeten. Smells good
but is more bitter than #1.
Absinthe Wine
All herbs are dried.
2 tsp peppermint 2tsp dried wormwood
2 tsp thyme 2 tsp lavender
2 tsp hyssop 2 tsp majoram
2 tsp sage 2 pints port
Steep herbs one week, filter and bottle. My notes describe this as
"bitter, aromatic and potent".
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