In the beginning of the 20th century France was overwhelmed by the fashion for the so-called ‘American-style’ cocktails. Therefore Europeans not only consumed the already existing shakes, but also invented those of their own. This one is a classic example of the early ‘American-style’ European cocktails.

Absinthe amateurs claim the ‘Green Fairy’ and vermouth blend perfectly due to the fact that they are both produced from the same herb – wormwood (or Artemisia Absinthium in Latin). However, one shouldn’t expect to experience the same ‘buzz’ from drinking dry vermouth, because the two alcoholic beverages are made not exactly from the same material. Absinthe is produced from the whole wormwood plant plus some other herbs, and vermouth – only from the wormwood flowers. Moreover, it contains less Thujone than the ‘Green Muse’, which explains the difference in the effect both create.

Alright, that is enough of the theory; let’s get down to the practice. In order to prepare the cocktail, one needs:

• gin (two ounces),
• dry vermouth (half ounce),
• absinthe (one splash),
• ice (three to five cubes).

To those who are fond of Ernest Hemingway’s writings know “Death in the afternoon” as a classic work on the art of bullfighting. However, absinthe drinkers, even if ignorant of Hemingway’s literary heritage, will definitely recognize it as the name of the cocktail he contributed to the 1935 collection of celebrity recipes, called “So red the nose, or breath in the afternoon”.

The genius mixture of the ingredients and the effect the drink produces won it great popularity. Today is the day you gonna learn how to prepare it and enjoy the same cocktail the renowned Ernest Hemingway loved so much.

What you need is as follows:

• absinthe (1 ounce),
• ice-cold champagne (5 ounce).

One who has ever heard of absinthe might have been impressed by the legend about the effects it produces. It is believed that absinthe differs from any other alcoholic drink due to the so-called ‘secondary effects’, which include hallucinations, irregular eyesight sensitivity to light and colors, euphoria and a feeling of lucid inebriation.

Many find the issue of absinthe ‘secondary effects’ the most controversial one, since there is little evidence, which moreover lacks credence. The effect produced by a good absinthe can vary from person to person, but it is usually no more extraordinary than from drinking any other hard liquor: the drinker gets into the state of the “buzz”, senses pointed clarity of mind and vision. This condition ceases within 20 to 30 minutes and many drinkers report that they don’t experience anything out of the ordinary at all, but the regular effects the alcohol has.