Absinthe spoons, Absinthe glasses, fountains, drippers and brouillers are all collectively known as Absinthiana and are the accoutrements used in the preparation of Absinthe. The price of such antiques and collectibles are quite substantial because of highly valued original items.
If you cannot afford original Absinthiana then you can buy replicas from companies such as AbsintheKit.AbsintheKit.com can help in preparing perfect Absinthe in style.
Types of Absinthe Spoons
Absinthe spoons, cuilleres, were introduced in the 1880s to make Absinthe preparation easier. People used perforated cups over Absinthe glasses in the past. To drip water and sugar into the Absinthe slots were made in these spoons.
Absinthe spoons, or cuilleres, come in many different shapes and sizes and are also made out of many different kinds of metal including silver, nickel and chrome. Marie-Claude Delahaye, a historian specializing in Absinthe history, has concluded that there are over 375 different types of Absinthe spoon.
The most common type of spoon is shaped like a trowel and is called the French Pelle and this group of cuilleres includes the pretty “les feuilles d’Absinthe” which have got Absinthe foliage designs on them. The popular spoon design featuring the Eiffel Tower was designed to celebrate the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.
“les Grilles” or “Les Grillagees” means lattice which is the second group of Absinthe spoons. “Les cuilleres” are the third type which includes designs with a long handle and a cradle for holding sugar cubes.
“Les Cuilleres de Poilus” is among the most famous Absinthe spoons. French soldiers created these Cuillere spoons using the materials like shell casings, aluminum, tin and brass. These spoons were only made at the start of the war because Absinthe was banned in France in 1915. To fit them in their own drinking cups soldiers designed these spoons. These beautiful and unique spoons are now kept as highly collectible antiques.
Absinthe was banned because of the alleged psychedelic and psychoactive effects of thujone, the chemical found in the herb wormwood which is a major ingredient in Absinthe. Absinthe was legalized in most countries in the 1990s after it was noted that it was no more harmful than any other strong liquor and contained only minute amounts of thujone.
The Absinthe Ritual
There is a ritual to be followed by lovers of the Green Fairy (Absinthe). These are the required things for the preparation of the perfect Absinthe
– Buy an Absinthe spoon
– Importance of an Absinthe Glass
– Absinthe
– Iced Water
Some people would also say that an Absinthe fountain, brouiller or carafe should be used for the water.
The process of preparing Absinthe
– Take about 25-50ml of Absinthe into a glass.
– A sugar cube should be placed on the Absinthe spoon kept motionless on the glass.
– Pour the iced water slowly onto the sugar cube. The louche can be seen from the bottom of the glass.
Louching or clouding is the result of insolubility of the essential oils in water. The finished drink should be milky or cloudy looking.
The perfect ratio of water and Absinthe is between 3:1 and 5:1 according to taste.
Using Absinthe spoons and other Absinthiana makes the Absinthe ritual full of fun.