September 21, 2008
The Green Faerie Alights at Polar Bar
There's a bit of a disconnect at the Arctic Club Hotel, which has its ambitious gastronomic restaurant & bar, called JUNO, one level below the hotel's lobby & lounge, called Polar Bar. If you've come for the absinthe, you can't just wander into JUNO from 3rd Avenue and slide onto a stool; you've got to be aware that the Green Fairie awaits upstairs, past the hotel's reception desk.
We attended the hotel's grand opening last week and wound up our visit with the absinthe ritual conducted by barman Viktor Kustov. Slotted spoon placed over absinthe glass, sugar cube placed on slotted spoon, Lucid absinthe poured over sugar cube and into glass, sugar cube set afire, then extinguished by drips of icewater from absinthe fountain. Impressive ceremony, even if the result is nothing more than a cool, watery, licorice-flavored drink. Certainly doesn't taste like a dangerous poison.
Contrary opinion from local cocktail historian Robert Hess. Here's what he reported in an email to Seattlest:
Apparently the manager at the Polar Bar is under the misconception that there are two proper ways of serving absinthe, the French way "sans feu", and the "Czech" way in which the sugar cube is decimated by fire. In truth, there is only one proper way to serve real absinthe, which is to slowly drip ice-cold water over a sugar cube which is suspended via an absinthe spoon over the glistening green elixir waiting below. As the cold water slowly dissolved the sugar, it also invokes a reaction in the absinthe and the oils suspended transparently within the clear green liquor gradually drop out of suspension, which results in a milky opalescent cloud which forms in the glass. This is commonly referred to as "louche", and in a properly made absinthe, it is a lovely and anticipated result of this relaxing ritual.Trouble came because real absinthe wasn't available...the substitutes wouldn't "louche" properly, so, says Hess, bars added the flaming sugar cube. "Such a classic and elegant location, deserves to be serving drinks which are equally classy and elegant." For more details about "real" absinthe, how to find it, serve it, and enjoy it, Hess recommends the FAQ at the Wormwood Society's website.
| 
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
[ report this ]
Thank Heaven we have "cocktail historians" like Robert to save us for those demon flames.
"Such a classic and elegant location, deserves to be serving drinks which are equally classy and elegant."
Classy remark.
Absinthe was the drink of the masses in Belle Epoque France and was cheaper than beer in the Moulin Rouge I believe. It was also sold from huge barrels in low "class" dive bars frequented by the likes of Henri Toulouse Lautrec. A "classy" artistocrat who drank with the plebs!
These people that have annexed La Fee Verte as their own in America are seeking to turn her into a drink for the elite. The gauche middle class snobbery and sheer stupidity of these newly born devotees of absinthe is amazing. I imagine that they delight in telling their neighbours and work friends about their passion for this "exclusive" spirit.
The renaissance in absinthe was born in Central Europe during the last century. I understand that it was common to see this potent wormwood liqour being set alight. Why this offends the likes of Mr Hess I do not know. Does he really imagine that Verlaine and Rimbaud would have had such a hissy fit over the matter? Perhaps they would have enjoyed it...perhaps they even (God forbid) did it themselves? No doubt "cocktail historians" know best...but the rest of us must content ourselves with being less "classy" and more of the real world....which is more fun?
Enjoy life...set it on fire and stick two fingers up at the snobs...Rimbaud would have approved.
[ report this ]
Great, another absinthe flat-earther.
"The renaissance in absinthe was born in Central Europe during the last century. "
No it wasn't.
The creation of "absinth" made from inferior alcohol and a huge marketing hoax was born in the newly capitalist, and under-regulated Czech Republic during the last two years of the last century, i.e. 1998, so they could sell fake, bright turquoise "absinth" to gullible tourists.
Part of that hoax was using the frat-party stunt of lighting the sugar on fire in the spoon to mimic heroin preparation, reinforcing the idiotic notion that absinthe—a drink that literally millions of people all over France drank absinthe in cafés and clubs every day for a hundred years—was some sort of exotic drug.
That's right, the whole drinking population of Paris was tripping balls, every afternoon at five! It's a wonder they didn't burn down more bistros when lighting their absinthe.
"Why this offends the likes of Mr Hess I do not know. "
I see nothing from Mr. Hess that indicates he took offense, but I can imagine that he wouldn't care for someone introducing a burnt marshmallow flavor into what might otherwise be a pleasant drink.
The world-a, she's-a round.
[ report this ]
"The creation of "absinth" made from inferior The "creation of "absinth" made from inferior alcohol and a huge marketing hoax was born in the newly capitalist, and under-regulated Czech Republic during the last two years of the last century, i.e. 1998, so they could sell fake, bright turquoise "absinth" to gullible tourists"
I think I can identify the parties referred to as "they" using Wikipedia and I am sure others can too.. so are you 100% sure of your facts? You had better be when making statements like that.
"Part of that hoax was using the frat-party stunt of lighting the sugar on fire in the spoon to mimic heroin preparation"
Wow! That is one hell of an allegation as well!
These "they" reffered to above sell absinthe based upon a deliberate imitation of illegal "heroin preparation" do they? How on earth do you know this? Did they ever say so or are you just guessing?
If we again look at Wikipedia it says:
"The fire ritual first appeared in advertisements after having been seen in a Prague bar in the late 1990s"
The entry does not say what you allege, does it?
I would suggest that you are not qualified to comment. Are you a recognised academic authority with proper training in research? Given the tone of your post I suspect not.
During the Belle Epoque there were various ways of sweetening the bitterness of the main constituent of this noble beverage, these include sugar and spoon, but importantly also various forms of syrup.
I further do not believe that caramel would necessarily damage the flavour profile of absinthe. If we pour a measure of absinthe into a glass through a sugar cube most of the absinthe will go into the glass, a small part would be absorbed by the sugar cube. The fire ritual could then be used to add a mild caramel profile and the remaining liquid in the glass would be further be diluted with water at a ratio of approx 1:4.
Surely this is only a matter of personal taste? The addition of sugar whether diluted by water, through the addition of syrup, or using caramelised sugar are all equally valid.
May I ask what gives you the right to dicatate to American consumers / barkeepers like Viktor Kustov? More importantly may I also ask you what gives the right to make seemingly unfounded and derogatory remarks about others' commercial ethics? Please expalin that for me.
[ report this ]
@MamaDeluxe
Since you hail from the Czech Republic, I could jump to the conclusion that there is perhaps a little bit of a hidden agenda in your bold attempts at championing the "fire ritual" that originated there.
The "fire ritual" was created specifically for the absinthes which were coming out of the Czech Republic, many of which were/are made not through distillation, but by adding flavorants and colorants to already distilled alcohol. They also usually heavily promote their "high thujone" content, even though time after time it has been shown that true pre-ban absinthe had an extremely low thujone content.
If you prefer to drink the various faux-sinthe products (regardless of where they are made), which are artificially colored, far too bitter, don't louche, etc. Then you are very much welcome to apply fire to your sugar.
However, if an establishment (such as the Polar Bar), wishes to serve properly made absinthe in the manner which it would have been served back in the 1800's, then they should do their research a little better and realize that the proper way to do so is by simply dripping ice water over the sugar cube "sans feu".
The producers of Lucid (which was the absinthe being served at the Polar Bar) support my views, and would likewise have been as insistant that their product be served in the traditional French manner.
-Robert Hess
[ report this ]
Typically, "Mama," you demand qualifications while giving none of your own. Have you any? Your assertions thus far are without any historic backing whatsoever.
Caramel isn't made by setting sugar on fire, nor is the flavor introduced to absinthe by burning sugar anywhere close to that of caramel. Having tasted it, I compared it to the first thing I thought of: burnt marshmallows.
"If we again look at Wikipedia it says:
"The fire ritual first appeared in advertisements after having been seen in a Prague bar in the late 1990s"
The entry does not say what you allege, does it?"
What's your point? How it first started and when it showed up in advertising are two different times and topics.
"may I also ask you what gives the right to make seemingly unfounded and derogatory remarks about others' commercial ethics? Please expalin that for me."
As you know, my remarks are well-founded, but it's the absence of commercial ethics which warrants my derision. Your transparent attempts to legitimize the destruction and historical revision of this noble beverage's true heritage is a good place to start.
"These "they" reffered to above sell absinthe based upon a deliberate imitation of illegal "heroin preparation" do they? How on earth do you know this? Did they ever say so or are you just guessing?"
Let's see, a random Google of thujone and absinthe brings this gem:
"What is absinthe?
Absinthe you can buy nowdays is usually emerald green liqueur containing Arthemisia absinthium, known also as Wormwood, sometimes tasting as a herbal liqueur, or with the taste of anyse known from greek ouzo or french pastis liqueurs. Wormwood contains a psychotoxic ingredient, called thujone, which can, in sufficiently strong concentrations, provide experience similar to marihuana combined with alcohol. Some people, however, are not influenced by the psychoactive effects when they buy absinthe and drink not more than 2 or 3 shots, and feel only the effect of alcohol. Basically we can say, that individuals who have already experienced some psychoactive drug (and we can count marihuana in that) in the past, will be more sensitive to the effects of thujone in absinthe liqueur, if they consider to buy strong absinthe from the czech destillery.
So is absinthe psychedelic or not?
There are some articles on the internet, stating that buying and drinking absinthe has NO effects besides its alcohol content. These can be based on experience with absinthes with so low (if some at all) content of thujone, that it could be sensed only in very high dosage, which people, due to the high alcohol content in absinthe combined with high effort needed to buy absinthe in US, usually do not drink. Only in Czech Republic the law is still so benevolent, that the proper absinthe with thujone content of 35mg/l and 100mg/l can be manufactured and offered to buy there.
Come buy absinthe from us, and enjoy !"
Hm. I guess you're right, no drug connections there; nothing but good, wholesome commercial ethics: "If you don't get high, you're not drinking enough!" "Only people who've had other illicit drugs are sensitive enough to be able to feel the thujoney goodness."
Give me a break.
[ report this ]
Regarding this defamatory statement:
"was born in the newly capitalist, and under-regulated Czech Republic during the last two years of the last century, i.e. 1998, so they could sell fake, bright turquoise "absinth" to gullible tourists.
Absinth was NOT born so "they" - do you mean Radomil Hill? - could sell "fake" products to "gullible tourists", Stone.
A single bottle was made at the request of a famous Prague theatre group. This absinth (which is only the German spelling of absinthe) was enjoyed and was then sold in Prague by one distiller. I think John Moore of Jesus and The Mary Chain saw it in Prague and the rest is history. This distiller created the modern absinthe renaissance in conjunction with Bohemia Beer House.
Your article "What's wrong with Czech absinth" states:
"there is no historic evidence of a Czech absinthe tradition independent of the Franco-Swiss tradition"
Again you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. The evidence for a seperate tradition, or named product, was discovered already some years ago and the document dates back to at least as early as 1924, probably earlier. The product in question is named in Czech in such a way as to leave no doubt that it is a regional product and understood as such.
You are not an expert in Czech history, but you are able to use Google and quote rather poorly written websites, most likely created by someone whose first langauge is not English.
You are also able somehow to use your "Non Profit Eductaional Organisation" to publish your own ill informed opinions as fact. You also use this platform to launch attacks on others both in Europe and even your own commercial competitors in the United States. Both you and Mr Hess are executives of this so called "Organisation" as well as another American absinthe distiller.
To be honest I am not really interested in what you think about anything. What I am concerned about is your never ending attacks on Czech nationals and others which are dressed up as education. You are not qualified to educate anyone on this subject. What right does someone that used to promote absinthe barbeques in Seattle - the genesis of your "Organisation" - to make false, inflammatory, and defamatory allegations about others? You also encorage others to repeat these allegations and therby inflict serious damage on both the good name of Czech industry and individuals. You are not only ignorant of history you are also ignorant of your responsibilities.
Your "heroin spoon" allegation, revealed here for the first time, is a new low point for your shameless propoganda.
[ report this ]
The Wormwood Society's information is all supported by history and science and that support is presented on our site by people with real names and faces. It is further supported by many people who have made a special study of absinthe.
You on the other hand resort to anonymous blog trolling with completely unsupported claims, incredulous faulty logic and reactionary populist rhetoric.
Who's spreading propaganda?
"You are not qualified to educate anyone on this subject. What right does someone that used to promote absinthe barbeques in Seattle - the genesis of your "Organisation" - to make false, inflammatory, and defamatory allegations about others?"
Don't get your panties in a bunch; you were invited.
I find it interesting that you suggest that having hosted barbecues should disqualify me from educating others on this subject. I would have thought it might have rather more to do with the fact that I've spent thousands of hours studying the topic.
And you STILL haven't told us who you are and what your qualifications are.
Don't get in my face because we warn people that a product isn't what it claims to be on the label or on the website selling it, or because we only give credit where credit is due.