A while back I got a letter from a U. S. Air Force sergeant and part-time bartender named Mike Van Bibber, who was kind enough to provide me with recipes for absinthe cocktails from European countries that have recently un-banned the beverage. He points out:
"A point to remember, a standard "shot" is 1 - 1.5 ounces. [This] may illustrate why the Europeans have not banned it - most of the drinks use a very small amount of absinthe."Keep that in mind. Civilized people drink absinthe for the flavor and its lovely effects, and they certainly don't set it on fire. You're not going to hallucinate on a teaspoon of it (or a beer stein full of it, for that matter), but it'll give a nice little kick to your cocktail.I don't often use large quantities of absinthe in cocktails (due to the expense of the good stuff), but I do enjoy the flavor of pastis-type liquors, particularly Herbsaint, the pastis-type liqueur d'anis that's made in New Orleans. Substitute Herbsaint, Pernod, Ricard or your favorite pastis for the absinthe called for in the following ancient recipes, or if you've got good-quality absinthe (not Hills, or pretty much anything from the Czech Republic), have at it!.
Michael says, "Well, that should be enough for now, I have about 20 more of them. - but as you can see, there is definitely a trend when it comes to using absinthe in a drink.... you don't use a whole lot of it."
- The TRUE Absinthe Drip
- Pour 1.5 oz of absinthe in a drip glass or old fashioned cocktail glass, place a cube of sugar in a drip spoon or a tea strainer pack spoon/strainer with ice and pour cold water to fill, when the water has dripped through the drink is ready.
- Blarney Stone
- 2 oz Irish Whiskey
.5 teaspoon absinthe
.5 teaspoon Curaçao
.25 teaspoon Maraschino
1 dash bitters
- Bombay Cocktail
- 1 oz Brandy
.5 oz Dry vermouth
.5 oz Sweet Vermouth
.5 teaspoon Curaçao
.25 teaspoon Absinthe
- Brazil Cocktail
- 1.25 oz Sherry Wine
1.25 oz dry vermouth
.25 teaspoon Absinthe
1 dash bitters
- Button Hook
- .5 oz Crème de Menthe (white)
.5 oz Apricot Brandy
.5 oz Brandy
.5 oz Absinthe
- Café de Paris
- White of one egg
1 teaspoon absinthe
1 teaspoon sweet cream
1.5 oz dry gin
- Deep Sea
- 1 oz dry vermouth
1 oz dry gin
.25 teaspoon Absinthe
1 dash orange bitters
- Dempsey Cocktail
- 1 oz dry gin
1 oz apple brandy
.5 teaspoon absinthe
.5 teaspoon grenadine
- Dixie Cocktail (This one is probably from New Orleans)
- Juice of 1/4 orange
1 oz dry gin
.5 oz absinthe
.5 oz dry vermouth
- Du Barry
- 1.5 oz Dry Gin
.75 oz dry vermouth
.5 teaspoon absinthe
1 dash bitters
- The Duchess
- .75 oz dry vermouth
.75 oz sweet vermouth
.75 oz absinthe
- The Eye-opener
- Yolk of 1 egg
2 oz light rum
1 teaspoon of each of the following: Curaçao, crème de cacao, absinthe
.5 teaspoon powdered sugar
- The Hasty Cocktail
- 1.5 oz dry gin
.75 oz dry vermouth
.25 teaspoon absinthe
1 teaspoon grenadine
- Irish Whiskey Cocktail
- 2 oz whiskey
.5 teaspoon Curacao
.5 teaspoon absinthe
.25 teaspoon maraschino
1 dash bitters
- Jeyplak
- 1.5 oz dry gin
.75 oz sweet vermouth
.25 teaspoon absinthe
- The Absinthe Cocktail
- 1.5 oz absinthe
.75 oz water
.25 oz anisette
1 dash orange bitters
- The Absinthe Special Cocktail
- 1.5 oz absinthe
1 oz water
.25 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 dash orange bitters
- The Knock Out
- .75 oz dry gin
.75 oz dry vermouth
.5 oz absinthe
1 teaspoon cr`me de menthe (white)
- The Ladies' Cocktail
- 1.75 oz whiskey
.5 teaspoon absinthe
.5 teaspoon anisette
2 dashes bitters
- The Lawhill
- 1.5 oz whiskey
.75 dry vermouth
.25 teaspoon absinthe
.25 teaspoon maraschino
1 dash bitters
Keep that in mind.
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