The green fairy and the morning after

The joy of living in the city finally dawned on me--cool crap happening everywhere. Last night my hubby and I went to an absinthe tasting. It was...amazing. The price of admission was very reasonable, and went toward a large amount of absinthe and a free Kubler absinthe spoon to take home. My favorite absinthe of the evening is a local Illinois creation, Sirene, by the North Shore Distillery. During the tasting they handed out small vials of the herbs used in creating absinthe, and to my taste, Sirene seemed to taste like the purer forms of the herbs. The Kubler absinthe blanche was also very good, but clear (as all blanches are). I guess the color shouldn't matter so much, but I like my fairies and my absinthe green. It had a very smooth taste, but nothing like the richness and aroma of Sirene. I think the Kubler would be a very good absinthe for popping your green cherry, while Sirene will take you to a whole new level. It's not even like drinking alcohol. After enough sips (oh yes, and it needs to be sipped) the wormwood oil, the main ingredient and the origin of the green color, lightly coats and numbs the inside of your mouth. It's a strange experience. And speaking of experiences--no, it will not make you hallucinate. Thujone (a chemical component of wormwood and a bone fide neurotoxin) is present in absinthe but not conclusively linked to psychoactive responses. For more information on the studies on thujone and its effects, read the Wikipedia article linked above. Bottom line: bad research led to absinthe getting a bad rap. Historically it is the only alcoholic substance to be singled out for prohibition. But fear not, the green fairy has returned.

Guh....not even 7 am and I'm writing about alcohol. The light of the monitor is almost enough to kill me. Later I'll do more research on where to buy absinthe-related goods. There seem to be several reputable sites, but I need to shop and compare before dropping $150 out of my financial aid refund to buy an absinthe fountain.

But for now, it is time to shower and go act like an adult...an adult with a very specific headache.