Beer and Absinthe?

In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is setting earlier, the kids are going back to school, and in the USA it will soon be Labor Day and the tailgating season.

So that means it's time to explore beer and, in particular, a Guinness and absinthe mix that was created a couple of years ago by my importer in Malaysia, Tong Woh (also a major local wholesaler for beers). The Hulk, a half pint of Guinness with a measure of La Clandestine Absinthe sunk or poured into it, sounds like it was originally created for St. Patrick's Day events, but it first emerged in May 2009 at the Wabisabi Yakatori in Kuala Lumpur (apparently now closed, although that has nothing to do with the drinks they offered!).

The Hulk is a recent addition to drinks such as the Irish Car Bomb (originally Stout, Irish Whiskey and Coffee Liqueur) that probably sound worse than they are. The Hulk may not be a cocktail that you would want to sip on a romantic night out or when trying to impress. But at the right time and place, and with the right company, the Hulk is definitely worth trying. At least once.

Interesting to note that the Examiner has also recommended a variation of this: the Davis Diesel mixing cider and Guinness. Maybe a step too far?

Brian Robinson, Review Editor of the Wormwood Society and guest blogger right here a few times, agreed to take a Hulk for the team. As a sometime rugby player, he insisted on going for the full pint down in one: a technique not recommended for date night. Enjoy the video! Sláinte!

Absinthe for dinner?

Having sold and promoted wines, champagne and cognac with food in the UK and in Asia for brands including Krug and Remy Martin, I was always keen to explore the idea of an Absinthe Dining event. There are a lot of misguided pre-conceptions about absinthe, so an Absinthe Dinner could help overcome those and also prove to be a memorable event.

In fact, after absinthe dinners in Asia, Europe and most recently the USA, I'm convinced that combining good absinthes with good food works perfectly. There's something in the herbal mix that goes into good absinthes that makes them a perfect fit with great food. I'm equally convinced that there's NO point in pairing some of the more "one dimensional" absinthes that may just look pretty (artificial colours do that) with the skills of a good cook!

So how should one plan for an absinthe dinner? These notes were originally written for restaurant owners and managers and those organising bigger events, but much of it is relevant for absinthe lovers organising dinner parties for friends at home.

Firstly, remember that when diluted with chilled water or in many cocktails, absinthe may be no stronger than a glass of wine. So don't worry too much about that (but, as ever, make sure that people who have been indulging don't drive afterwards).

Secondly, note that an absinthe dinner can include both drinks to accompany the food, and dishes made with absinthe. And that those drinks need not necessarily be limited to the traditional absinthe serve or absinthe cocktails. Our recent US dinner focused on a range of absinthe cocktails, both classic and modern, to complement the dinner, and that's a great way to do it. But not the only way, as my UK dinner proved!

So what would a typical absinthe dinner look like?

Apéritifs

If a dinner would normally start with an apéritif, then there are plenty of absinthe options.

The Death in the Afternoon above (or a variant) works perfectly, and is a real surprise to those who don't know absinthe well.

Hors d'oeuvres

Oysters Rockefeller

are an excellent start to the dinner itself, and a small top-up of the Death in the Afternoon can accompany it, if required. There are some good alternatives, using the Rockefeller inspiration, such as the Scampi Rockefeller shown here.

A ricotta cheese stuffed ravioli, with fresh and dried tomato and lemon olive oil

worked well with a Clandestino at this absinthe dinner in Malaysia.

Second and Third Courses

I'm not a cook, so I can only report what I've seen - and enjoyed - elsewhere. It seems that the herbal notes of an absinthe (especially the anise, the fennel and the grande wormwood) work especially well with the type of food dishes that work well with those plants. For instance, a salmon dish works well with fennel, so the classic absinthe drip cocktail works very well alongside salmon.

And this hollandaise sauce made with absinthe seems to go very well with roast beef. While a more robust dish - in this case a goat curry - works well with a more robust style of absinthe, 

served here in the Calmer: Angélique Absinthe, dill, cucumber, elderflower and cava blended with crushed ice.

This Casserole de Poulet with pan-fried spatzle, glazed shallot and carrot was accompanied by a classic fountain-served Angélique absinthe.

Desserts

Lots of options here!

When I enjoyed a Crème Brûlée, as served in the café near the Artemisia Distillerie in Couvet, it was the only time I have seen a Swiss distiller set fire to his absinthe. And it worked excellently.

At a UK absinthe event in 2012 we enjoyed Fairy Delight: Coconut and Butterfly Absinthe Ice Cream with Fig Tarte Tatin ..

.. while my friends in Denmark seem to love pancakes made with absinthe egg nog!

Theatre

The absinthe ritual is a wonderful way to present it at dinner, and I was impressed to see an absinthe fountain bought to every table at one event. The absinthe balancier can be just as dramatic, even a little mesmerising, and doesn't stop love-struck diners looking into each other's eyes the way a fountain does. Theatre can go much further, however, and I love the way this UK restaurant prepared 

a pre-made Sazerac bottle to be shared by each couple, with a spray of absinthe added to each glass. Theatrical ... and it saved time since the restaurant did not have to make lots of sazeracs at the end of dinner.

And it's a nice touch to have all the plants available and some literature ..

Summary

Finally, how can an enterprising restaurant manager or owner organise such an event?

Firstly, talk to an absinthe company that has organised similar events in the past. Ideally try to find a company that can provide some different styles and make sure you have the opportunity to experiment with the products well in advance. 

As far as price is concerned, consumers do not expect absinthe to be cheap, so make sure you at least cover your costs. The events shown here (UK and USA) were both priced at around $ 60 (plus tax). Click on the photos to see the menus more clearly.

Finally the menu from a series of dinners held at London's Gymkhana Restaurant in 2015: this was priced at £120 per head.

There are a few more absinthe and food suggestions shown on this ever-expanding Pinterest board. Hopefully there will be many additions to come.

And I would not be at all surprised if after future dinners I get the same reaction and feedback heard already. "I never knew you could do so much with absinthe," "That completely changed my view of absinthe," etc.

In the meantime, santé and .... bon appétit!

Absinthe Dinner in Malaysia

Many potential buyers and many potential consumers have a fixed idea about what absinthe is. They think it may be dangerous, that it may attract the wrong sort of customers, that people abuse it. Well, think again. Last night I celebrated a Malaysian Decadent Affair with seven different absinthe drinks before, during and after dinner at the Vanity Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. This was exciting for me since I lived in Malaysia from 1999 to 2002, and had experienced wine, champagne and cognac dinners there previously.

But absinthe? Did it work? A resounding yes!

Here's a quick look at some of my pictures and some of Angela's (thank you!). The team at work setting up beforehand:

The menu:

The pre-dinner apéritif, La Clandestine Absinthe and Monin Peach:

The Perroquet: Angélique Absinthe, Monin Green Mint and chilled water:

This accompanied an oyster dish (photo to follow). The Clandestine Caipirinha:

accompanying Ricotta cheese stuffed ravioli fresh & dried tomato & lemon olive oil.

Death in the Afternoon:

which went very well with Warm hickory smoke salmon with chat potato dill creme fraiche & salad:

Classic fountain-served Angélique absinthe complemented the Casserole de Poulet with pan fried spatzle, glazed shallot & carrot:

A triple bill of shooters (White Chocolate, La Clandestine, Baileys and Caramel, and Dark Chocolate) was astonishing:

And the evening concluded with the Asian premiere of a barrel-aged La Clandestine. After 40 months, it is taking on some wonderful exotic notes, but this is not yet being sold anywhere in the world.

I was delighted to meet old friends and new, including Malaysia's own Thirsty Blogger:

I was delighted when one of the diners told me afterwards that this event totally changed perceptions of absinthe. Mission accomplished!

Do any of my readers have experiences of absinthe and food they would like to share?

Mixology Monday XLVI: Absinthe!

For the casual reader of this article, I should start by declaring a commercial interest: I work on La Clandestine Absinthe, as well as on a few other drinks. So you might want to take what I write with a pinch of salt, but not necessarily with sugar. And definitely NOT with burnt sugar!

Mixology Monday was started in April 2006 by Paul Clarke of The Cocktail Chronicles. I first ran into Paul at the Wormwood Society, so I knew of his love for absinthe. In nearly four years, Mixology Monday has seized the imagination of mixologists around the world, much as absinthe has done. So it seems a little surprising that this is the first Mixology Monday to focus on absinthe. Good timing, however, with next week seeing the 5th anniversary of the Swiss re-legalisation of absinthe, and the 3rd anniversary of US legalisation. Thanks, too, to Sonja Kassebaum of Thinking of Drinking and the North Shore Distillery, for hosting MM XLVI.

Those of you who have read my blog before may recognise that I've been writing extensively about absinthe around the world. I've been lucky enough to have sold and promoted absinthe in about 30 countries so far, and I've seen some amazing ways of enjoying absinthe. I'm not going to write about


the Hulk (an Absinthe submerged in a pint of Guinness, as created in Malaysia), although I did enjoy the video. I won't look at some of the ways of drinking absinthe in Russia, as listed on the Russian Wikipedia site. I will, however, look at absinthe cocktails from both the USA and from Asia to show some similarities and maybe also some differences in mixology around the world.

Firstly Asia, or, more specifically, Malaysia where I have been fortunate to work with Ben Ng. It was interesting to note that in Malaysia, and perhaps in other countries too, some of the top hotels have been slower to take on the concept of selling absinthe. Maybe that's because of the reputation of absinthe as a hell-raiser drink?

In any case, Ben put in a lot of work to produce a range of absinthe cocktails for the Sky Bar, atop the Traders' Hotel in Kuala Lumpur (part of the excellent Shangri-La group). I asked Ben to tell me about one of them:

The Bramble Ramble



2 nos Blackberry Fruit
30ml Belvedere Vodka
20ml La Clandestine Absinthe
20ml Homemade Vanilla Syrup (50 brix)
10ml Fresh Grapefruit Juice
Blueberry
Grapefruit Quarters

Muddle blackberry fruit, add rest of ingredients with crushed ice and stir. Top with more crushed ice and garnish with skewered blueberries and grapefruit quarter.

This cocktail was made with the intention of introducing the widely mis-understood absinthe to consumers in KL (and showing) that absinthe is an artisanal drink ... way beyond the common perception of it being a drink to be plastered with on a wild night out.

La Clandestine was used as it possesses a slightly sweeter, more viscous structure in comparison to the Angélique (absinthe verte suisse, sold in Malaysia). Belvedere vodka was introduced into the recipe as

1. It reduces the use of La Clandestine absinthe (while maintaining a decent ABV) as the KL clientele is usually not used to the intesity of the aniseed and liquorice characters in Absinthe.

2. KL's cocktail scene is pretty much into vodka cocktails, so if you were to just tell them that it's an absinthe cocktail most likely people will shy away, but you introduce as a vodka based cocktail with a touch of absinthe, then it sells! Strange ... but it worked out for us during the run in Skybar. So it's a matter of working towards the customer's preference while getting the message out at the same time.

The berries in cocktails are a favourite among KL cocktail drinkers, and the blackberries were also a selling point. Apart from that they are used because they give the cocktail a rounder character, refreshing structure and also an attractive natural colour tone.

As for the vanilla syrup, I realized that chocolates, vanilla, butterscotch flavours seem to bring out a different character of the Clandestine absinthe when combined ... hence the use of it. The vanilla also gives it an interesting hint of creaminess which is a complement to the blackberries.

Grapefruit is to add acidity and balance to the sweetness of the drink.


Thanks, Ben. I look forward to sharing some absinthe cocktails with you in May. Interesting to see the comments about KL locals not being used to the aniseed/liquorice flavours of absinthe (a near-global theme). Also to see a vodka-based cocktail being used to get people into absinthe (as a side note, remember that the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book has 104 absinthe cocktails and only 1 vodka cocktail!). I agree the point about vanilla and chocolate marrying well with absinthe.

And now just a short hop to Colorado ...

I have now come across two great absinthe bars in Colorado via Twitter. The Green Fairy Bar in Copper Mountain probably stocks more absinthe brands than any other bar in the USA (23 at the last count).

A few miles away, in Boulder, Happy may be an American restaurant, but interestingly (given the Malaysian connection above) it draws its inspiration from Asian ingredients and kitchen craft. James Lee is Big Red F's Beverage Director and the man behind the Bitter Bar, and was recently named one of the top 10 mixologists in the country by Playboy Magazine.

James and I corresponded on Twitter, and a few weeks later he sent me details of these cocktails and some additional comments. Over to you, James (and fellow mixologist, Ben Foote, from Happy):

The Green Devil (created by Ben Foote, The Bitter Bar mixologist)


1.5 oz. Chamucos Reposado Tequila
0.75 oz. Luxardo Limoncello Liqueur
0.25 oz. La Clandestine Absinthe
3-4 leaves of Fresh Thai Basil

*Muddle basil in a mixing glass first, then add all other ingredients with ice... shake for 5-10 seconds, double strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
**Garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of thai basil.

The Green Devil was our number one selling cocktail when the Bitter Bar opened last year around this time... We tried many different Limoncellos, but decided the Luxardo came through with better balance and not over the top with citrus flavor profile in the cocktail. Also, and more importantly, we ended up switching to La Clandestine from a verte absinthe due to its softer and smoother profile in the cocktail (especially on the nose and start of the drink..). We just did a "rinse" of verte absinthe in the original version of this cocktail due to strong/heavy profile of absinthe/anise flavor, but now we have La Clandestine/blanche in the cocktail, we use 0.25 oz. in the recipe to enhance and made everyone happy with our cocktail!

The Sun Also R1ses (created by James Lee, The Bitter Bar mixologist)


1.5 oz. R1 rye from Jim Beam
0.5 oz. Plymouth Sloe Gin
0.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
0.25 oz. La Clandestine Absinthe
0.25 oz. Agave Nectar
3-4 dashes of Peychaud's Bitters

*Add all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, shake for 10 seconds.... then strain into a small old-fashioned glass with a large ice cube.
** Garnish with a lemon peel.

I asked James his views on different styles of absinthe in cocktails.

Every cocktail is different and has its own unique quality about it.... but with most, I prefer using a blanche absinthe over verte in a cocktail. What we noticed at the Bitter Bar was that while a verte has an amazing flavors with more herbaceous notes (especially U.S. absinthes), we found that it over-powers in the mix of things when we make them into cocktails... While a blanche (La Clandestine & Libertine on our shelf..) is much softer and subtle, yet smoother in a cocktail and really brings out the essence of absinthe while mixing it with other spirits. A classic cocktail like a Sazerac will always get a rinse of a verte absinthe, and many more recipes call for a verte over a blanche absinthe due to stronger/heavy spirits needing stronger absinthe in a cocktail. Otherwise we prefer La Clandestine over any absinthe in an absinthe cocktail.


So while "Malaysia" Ben talks about reducing the amount of La Clandestine in the Bramble Ramble (as a way to start getting customers used to the taste of absinthe), "Colorado" Ben found he could use more absinthe in his Green Devil when he switched from verte to blanche. "Malaysia" Ben makes good use of fruit in his cocktail (as well as in several of his other absinthe cocktails such as his Absinthe-Minded with local passionfruit). James and "Colorado" Ben, on the other hand, probably have access to a much broader range of spirits and bitters (e.g. 100% blue agave tequila, R1 Rye, and Peychaud's) that may be difficult to find in Malaysia.

In both locations, then:

a) Great use of locally available ingredients to make wonderful cocktails.

b) Tailoring the drinks to fit local tastes (less or more absinthe in the cocktail).

c) Real sensitivity to the complexity of absinthe, especially of the very different natures of blanches and vertes (will other mixologists comment on this?).

d) No sensation-seeking (a common trend in some countries with absinthe).

.............................................................................

I loved the fact that last week saw Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year fall on the same day. For me the fact that Western and Oriental countries were celebrating different festivals simultaneously symbolised two very different cultures getting together. In the same way, bars in the USA and in Asia take different routes to get to a common goal. With mixologists like these in more and more countries around the world, the future of absinthe seems to be in safe hands. Whether re-creating the classics, or creating tomorrow's classics, good mixologists will play a key role in introducing absinthe to today's emerging drinkers around the world.

Santé! Gōng xǐ fā cái! And thank you, Ben, James, Ben, Paul and Sonja!

UPDATE FEBRUARY 26, 2010

Sonja's round-up of all the absinthe articles from Mixology Monday XLVI can be found

Here (Part 1)

and

Here (Part 2).

Absinthe around the World Late 2009: 8

For my last article looking at absinthe events around the world in late 2009, I've opted to get away from snow-covered Europe and North-East USA. While the beautiful panoramas are good for getting us in the holiday mood, I, for one, long for the warmth of the tropics.

I'm also going to focus on cocktails, including several new creations. Some absinthe lovers are not totally convinced that absinthe should be discovered via cocktails, feeling that the complexity of a great absinthe is best discovered with just the addition of water. Given the apparent involvement of Toulouse-Lautrec in the creation of the Tremblement de Terre cocktail (absinthe and cognac) and of Ernest Hemingway in the creation of Death in the Afternoon (absinthe and champagne), and given the 104 absinthe cocktails in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, I firmly believe that cocktails are a legitimate and perfect way to discover absinthe.

But in the tropics? Well, while the tropics may not be thought of as typical absinthe territory, and while Westerners may consider their own mixologists and bar scenes to be the best, there are some very pleasant surprises to be found in South-East Asia. Papa's Tapas in Thailand has a wide range of absinthes, including La Clandestine, Angélique and the Jades. Several bars in Singapore stock a large range of absinthes (not all of the highest quality, it must be said). And in Malaysia, absinthes are developing a strong following across most sectors of the on-trade.

The latest developments there have been reported in at least two Malaysian blogs: the Juice Online Blog and the Thirsty Blogger Blog, as well as in the largest English-language newspaper in Malaysia, the New Straits Times.

The event covered was the launch of absinthe at one of Asia's top bars: the Sky Bar at the Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. And local mixologist, Ben Ng, was on hand to create several amazing new cocktails. Ben is very cosmopolitan in his outlook, approach and creativity and has worked for a number of spirit brands across Asia.

Ben's first creation:

Winter Whisper

30ml Vodka
20ml La Clandestine Absinthe
10ml Monin Gingerbread Syrup
Orange Rind
Dark chocolate Cookie Crumbs

Rim martini glass with vanilla syrup and dark chocolate cookie crumbs. Mix rest of ingredients into a mixing glass and stir. Fine strain into the rimmed martini glass. Garnish with orange rind.

Ben's version of the ...


Absinthe-Minded

4 nos Lime Wedge
30ml Vodka
20ml La Clandestine Absinthe
30ml Sugar Syrup
15ml Boiron Passion Fruit Puree
1/4 Fresh Passion Fruit (local)

Muddle limes and add rest of ingredients with ice into a shaker and shake. Strain into ice filled glass and garnish with a passion fruit quarter.

Ben Ng, at work ...

making a ....

Bramble Ramble

2 nos Blackberry Fruit
30ml Vodka
20ml La Clandestine Absinthe
20ml Monin Vanilla Syrup
1 nos Grapefruit Quarter

Muddle blackberry fruit, add rest of ingredients with crushed ice and STIR. Top with more crushed ice and garnish with 2 raspberry fruit.

This ...

is probably the best-looking Death in the Afternoon I have ever seen.

Of course, the Sky Bar is not the only great bar in KL, so I was interested to read another Malaysian blog, writing about The Library, and their cocktails, including these:

The Fucking Awesome (Frangelico, Mozart White, Mozart Dark, Amarula, espresso, milk) & Quickly But Slowly (Mozart Black, milk, La Clandestine Absinthe).

I will, however, spare my readers real-life photos of the Malaysian version of


the Hulk, a shooter glass of absinthe sunk into a pint of Guinness ...

Two photos to conclude. Ben's ...

Jaded

40 ml La Clandestine Absinthe
15 ml Passion Fruit syrup
20 ml White Peach Puree
60 ml Apple Juice

Shake together, strain into a tall glass, and top with ice cubes (stand against the KL Towers to admire!)

And finally to take us back to the snows of Europe and the USA, a cocktail created by New York mixologist, Adam Schuman:

The White Christmas Cocktail

1/2 oz La Clandestine Absinthe
1/4 oz Simple syrup
1 oz Grapefruit juice
3 dashes St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram or The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters
Top up with Champagne or Prosecco

Mixologists of the world: without your hard work drinking might be so one-dimensional. So thank you. Cheers, Santé, Kampai and Yam Sing!

Drinkers of the world: what absinthe cocktails will you be enjoying these holidays?

Real Absinthe comes to Asia

Malaysia, truly Asia. I have to admit to a soft spot for Malaysia, having lived there, as an "orang putih*" from 1999 to 2002. It's tropical, but not impossibly so. The people I worked with then were straightforward, very hard-working, and fun to be with. The food was amazing (if sometimes a little too hot for me) and the shopping was excellent value. Finally my second daughter was born there and so boasts a Malaysian birth certificate that we can't decipher. So when I had the opportunity to start selling both La Clandestine and Angélique absinthes in Malaysia, I was thrilled.

The official launch was held at Werners in Bukit Bintang at the end of March 2009 (when, through bad planning, I was in Los Angeles), and has already been covered by a photographer's blog, by a local liquor blogger, and by another local blog. The photographer has posted more photos on their main site: click on Events, then on TWE Absinthe Launching to see all 86 photos from the launch party.

A short selection follows. The guests and media gathered at the bar to witness the preparation of the Absinthe cocktails:


The Fairy Station, where traditional methods and shooters are shown, with Absinthe Fountain and Spoon:


Local mixologist, Ben Ng, demonstrating traditonal preparation methods:


Thanks, Ben!

Two local mixologists shaking up the absinthe cocktails:


and the traditional French method with sugar cube over Absinthe spoon:


A big thank you to Vincent and Michelle of TWE for organising this event: prospects look great.

This article is headed "Real Absinthe comes to Asia." But isn't real absinthe already in Asia? There is a small selection of good absinthes, including both La Clandestine and the Jades, in Japan.

There are other cheaper absinthes/absinths in Asia: La Fée has made it to Thailand (primarily the Bohemian version) and Singapore. Sebor has apparently been shipped to China and Fruko is in Taiwan. But to date, none of them seems to have focused on traditional consumption methods which will, in my opinion, be important to create a long-term sustainable business.

I like the fact that while absinthe flaming was apparently allowed at the event, Ben and the Malaysia team actively promoted traditional consumption methods. I already wrote that I sometimes found the Malaysian food too hot, and I also prefer it if my absinthe is not served too hot! Durians are too "heaty;" absinthe, preferably with "sky juice" is "cooling!" Best - lah!

* For my readers outside Malaysia, you may wish to study Manglish to understand some of this article!

Rant of the day - real absinthe is NOT for burning!

UPDATE OCTOBER 2009: IF YOU'VE COME TO THIS PAGE VIA A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR ABSINTHE SINGAPORE, SKIP TO THE COMMENTS BELOW AND ALSO BECOME A FAN OF ABSINTHE IN SINGAPORE ON FACEBOOK. LOOK FOR OTHER ARTICLES ABOUT ABSINTHE IN ASIA ON THIS BLOG BY CLICKING HERE.

UPDATE MAY 2009: IF YOU'VE COME TO THIS PAGE VIA A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR ABSINTHE MALAYSIA, SKIP TO THE COMMENTS BELOW AND ALSO LOOK FOR OTHER ARTICLES ABOUT ABSINTHE IN MALAYSIA ON THIS BLOG BY CLICKING HERE.

NOW BACK TO THE RANT FROM 2007!

I've been reading more absinthe horror stories on the web. It seems that many of these bad experiences of absinthe are because of drinking the wrong sort, i.e. drinking Czech absinth. Originally absinthe was from Switzerland and then from France. The area around the Swiss/French border has the best growing conditions for some of the main plants, including wormwood.

In the 1990's, Czech products called absinth, but with very little similarity, first appeared. Most play on the fact that it should be flamed and burnt, showing how little respect the Czech distillers have for their own creations, and building a negative image for the whole category.


Now real absinthe has returned, much of it from its original birthplace in the Val-de-Travers region of Switzerland. There is an ever-expanding group of absinthe lovers all over the world, drinking absinthe for its taste and not for its effects. And this is how to prepare real absinthe: no burning, please.



There is also the option, as favoured in Switzerland, to add just cold, fresh water. No sugar at all.

Now real absinthe is legal to buy in every non-Muslim country in the world except for the USA. And as people discover the pleasures of drinking real absinthe in the right way, it will probably get even more popular. Santé!