The New York Times had
this piece about
Switzerland where recently makers of Absinthe, the drink made famous by artists and, well, drunks. What’s happening is
that a new law is taking effect in January that allows underground absinthe makers to begin producing again the drink
legally after many years. The distillation, distribution and sale of the stuff was banned in Switzerland, says the
article, “after an absinthe-besotted factory worker killed his wife and children nearly a century ago”.
Aside from lots of good old alcohol, absinthe has thujone, a toxic chemical found in wormwood that was used as a magic
elixir and to treat stomach ailments in the old old days. Absinthe with a low level of thujone is already sold legally
in countries including Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Austria, Japan, Sweden, Italy and Britain, but not the United
States (what a surprise). If you’re eager to learn more (or even try to make some yourself), I found a nice little
FAQ here.
Curious of anyone has ever tried it? If so, the hard stuff or the soft stuff? And what’s it like? Inquiring minds want
to know.