absente

by Erin Thursby
Looking for a coffee table that shows your sophistication and enables you to mix drinks and make a lovely supper? Look no further than Absente: Images and Tastes of the Green Fairy.
Absinthe has a long a storied history. It came back to US markets in the form of Absente, Absinthe Refined in 2000. Although they were forced to use Southern wormwood because of US regulations of certain chemicals, it was the first Absinthe to be sold widely (and legally) in the US since 1912. It’s what started the whole Absinthe craze. Once the US changed their regulations on the use of wormwood, the same company that produced Absente was able to produce Grande Absente, using regular wormwood.
Grande Absente producers have put together a book with art plates capturing the works of artists from Van Gogh to Grant Wood?s American Gothic with an Absinthe twist! These reinterpretations of famous works of art are certainly interesting and well-executed. Each is accompanied by a recipe from Chef Jean Stephane Poinard, the owner and chef at Bistro de Leon in St. Augustine. Central to each recipe is Grand Absente as an ingredient. Most of the recipes are drink recipes, but there are more than a few yummy desserts (Key Lime Pie Meringue A La Grande Absente) and some entree selections (Citrus Quinoa Risottto with Sea Scallops). It?s such an art heavy book that I was happy to have the index in the back of drink recipes and food recipes, which are neatly separated into their own sections.
You can order the book from www.absentebook.com/ or just ask at Bistro de Leon in St. Augustine.