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Drink

Absinthe

A chilled absinthe drink prepared by adding water to absinthe over ice.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 3 ingredients
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Absinthe

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Fill a sherry glass with absinthe.

  2. Add plenty of fine ice to the glass.

  3. Slowly add water drop by drop on top of the absinthe and ice. Stir well but slowly to mix.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Absinthe
Provides the main anise-like flavour and, once diluted, turns the drink cloudy.
Water
Dilutes the absinthe slowly, softening its strength and releasing its aromatic compounds.

The step that matters

Adding the water slowly. Absinthe's oils separate out when water is added too quickly, causing a cloudy mix that is hard to control. Adding water drop by drop over ice lets the louche form gradually and evenly, with a smoother, more balanced flavour.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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