The Miracle of Absinthe

[MrBern]

Often in this situation the writer has actually formed an opinion before going to an event and then works to that end inspite of what they've seen, heard or read doing research.

Also, there is often an approach in which the writers own likes and dislikes are foisted on everyone as to what everyone's opinion should be, in sort of a "well this is obviously crap, you'd have to see that unless you're an idiot" style of writing. Sort of this way : "Of course everyone hates Yellow mustard, it's so ubiquitously non-descript, now Dijion that's mustard!"

Well, I can totally see that youd like to see a positive story. But the writer seems to have made his case by pointing out that this 'craze' wasnt really much more than a PR stunt with some lackluster results. Do you really expect the writer to mislead people by spreading some hype that he didnt find authentic????

Absinthe1900 very kindly posted this observational reply from a blog:
http://boozynyc.com/2009/01/the-times-takes-down-absinthe.html

The best part of the reply blogpost is in the COMMENTS which listed these two other articles in NYMAG:
http://nymag.com/restaurants/wheretoeat/2009/53183/
http://nymag.com/restaurants/wheretoeat/2009/53182/
Of those two links, one mentions being tired of 2008's retro absinthe fad. The other lists "Death in the Afternoon", an absinthe/champange cocktail as amongst the best cocktails of 2008.

Does that contradict?
NO.
The SCENE might be lackluster, but the cocktail could be fabulous.
Its a simple rule of logic, you cant compare a part to a whole.

 

[John in Covina]

Making a case?

It's a pseudo-sophisticate's provincial judgement being made on behalf of all.

It seems the problem with cutting edge is it becomes dull and mundane to the elitists too quickly.

Time to slop the hogs boys.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

imagine this:

the article is about Fedoras.

The 'journalist' went to a baseball hat shop in the mall, and a Burlington Coat Factory.

he then begins to preach that fedoras are a joke because only hipster xxxxxxxx and slow people too late for the recent Justin Timberlake trend wear them.

he didn't like the fedoras that were sold there (which in actuality weren't the BEST, but were the only ones available in the two non-expert shops CLAIMING to be hat experts...)

and even though he talked to 2 very intelligent people 'in the know' about the ACTUAL vintage fedora 'movement',

this 'journalist' doesn't have a CLUE what an actual fedora is or why ACTUAL devotees to fedoras wear them.

he/she forms a silly misinformed position, ignores those who are trying to make him actually grok the true history of ACTUAL fedoras, and then plasters his ignorant opinion in a newspaper.

THAT'S what some of us here saw as a problem with the absinthe piece.

Listen to Celtic, he's in pre-law, or pre-med, I forget.

Especially the two people interviewed, who were misquoted by the idiot reporter, their comments and feelings can't be posted here.

Hopefully Rimmy still has his baseball bat.

 

[MrBern]

urban slight

Making a case?

It's a pseudo-sophisticate's provincial judgement being made on behalf of all.

It seems the problem with cutting edge is it becomes dull and mundane to the elitists too quickly.

Time to slop the hogs boys.

Provincial?
Pseudo-sophisticate?
Slop da hogs?

One minute you extole the virtue of a peppermill, now you condemn a writer for not enjoying flaming shots of absinthe at a PublicRelations party.
Are you jsut being a hater, or have you got some better reviews of the Absinthe 'scene'? Cant you allow a writer an opinion?

It really doesnt seem youre trying to discuss the article or Absinthe.
John, why are you so angry?

 

[MrBern]

imagine this:

the article is about Fedoras.

The 'journalist' went to a baseball hat shop in the mall, and a Burlington Coat Factory.

he then begins to preach that fedoras are a joke because only hipster xxxxxxxx and slow people too late for the recent Justin Timberlake trend wear them.

he didn't like the fedoras that were sold there (which in actuality weren't the BEST, but were the only ones available in the two non-expert shops CLAIMING to be hat experts...)

and even though he talked to 2 very intelligent people 'in the know' about the ACTUAL vintage fedora 'movement',

this 'journalist' doesn't have a CLUE what an actual fedora is or why ACTUAL devotees to fedoras wear them.

he/she forms a silly misinformed position, ignores those who are trying to make him actually grok the true history of ACTUAL fedoras, and then plasters his ignorant opinion in a newspaper.

THAT'S what some of us here saw as a problem with the absinthe piece.

In the spirit of being fair, are we really saying that these two cocktail establishments are as mundane as a mall shop, or Burlington CoatFactory?
http://nymag.com/listings/bar/apotheke/
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/labsinthe/

 

[Absinthe_1900]

As far as the absinthe they offer,......yes.

 

[celtic]

In the spirit of being fair, are we really saying that these two cocktail establishments are as mundane as a mall shop, or Burlington CoatFactory?
http://nymag.com/listings/bar/apotheke/
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/labsinthe/

perhaps this will help:

let's say that prohibition has just ended 12 seconds ago.

let's say that a journalist decides to go to two fancy, swanky uptown joints claiming to have the best booze.

let's say that the journalist tries a Blatz, a Coors, a Schlitz and a Piels...oh, and since it's NY, a Utica Club...

but while he's there he happens to run across a couple of people who just happen to live in NYC and have been VERY familiar of the world's finest ales, porters, belgians, ets. and these folks tried to explain to the journalist the history of beer and also where to find the world's best that might not EVER be available in mainstream bars.

but instead of actually doing RESEARCH or digging beyond his and the public's misconceptions,

instead of doing an ACTUAL story...

he decides to throw back a couple of crappy brews and write a fluff piece about how beer sucks and how the scene is trite because only working class losers or snobby wannabes drink beer...
and just how booooring and over the fad is.

 

[celtic]

1900,

i'm not pre-med or pre-law, i'm pre-tend.

give the imp a pat for me.

cheers and best wishes!



p.s.

!pans ho

 

[John in Covina]

Provincial?
Pseudo-sophisticate?
Slop da hogs?

One minute you extole the virtue of a peppermill, now you condemn a writer for not enjoying flaming shots of absinthe at a PublicRelations party.
Are you jsut being a hater, or have you got some better reviews of the Absinthe 'scene'? Cant you allow a writer an opinion?

It really doesnt seem youre trying to discuss the article or Absinthe.
John, why are you so angry?

*************
Don't use the term hater - it's "judgemental." Follow those tactics and next you'll be calling me a Nazi.

If you were reading any of the other posters here you might get an inkling that reading wikipedia and visiting 2 bars doesn't make the guy an expert. That he has short shrifted the "scene" and did a poor job in general, by misquoting his sources he shows that he is not concerned with accuracy. It certainly seems he was looking for the outcome he got before he started and coming in with such a jaundice eye has skewed it badly.

I don't mind that he has an opinion, even one that is ill informed, what bothers me most is to pronounce judgement on it all with the idea it's for all of our benefit. It's seems clear by his efforts that he had no desire to do a good job to begin with, he probably resented being given this subject to report on by the editor.

 

[MrBern]

*************
Don't use the term hater - it's "judgemental." Follow those tactics and next you'll be calling me a Nazi.

If you were reading any of the other posters here you might get an inkling that reading wikipedia and visiting 2 bars doesn't make the guy an expert. That he has short shrifted the "scene" and did a poor job in general, by misquoting his sources he shows that he is not concerned with accuracy. It certainly seems he was looking for the outcome he got before he started and coming in with such a jaundice eye has skewed it badly.

I don't mind that he has an opinion, even one that is ill informed, what bothers me most is to pronounce judgement on it all with the idea it's for all of our benefit. It's seems clear by his efforts that he had no desire to do a good job to begin with, he probably resented being given this subject to report on by the editor.

Id never call you a nazi.
Just a bit negative.

But Im still wondering if someones got some positive reviews of the Absinthe 'scene'.

 

[randooch]

Wow! How i wished I had stumbled upon a positive review instead! But then again, disagreement is sugar to thought's yeast, so I take that back.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

It's not the first silly article on absinthe, and certainly won't be the last.

It's an enjoyable drink if one likes aniseed based liquor with a long and complicated history, and with much of the bad press undeserved.

There are some good references in this thread where one can find out accurate information, as the domestic producers come online and mature, there will be some very nice brands available in the coming months.

 

[John in Covina]

A little bit more fun.

From September 08 LA Times
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/12/entertainment/et-night12

 

[filfoster]

Absinthe

Fun to read this thread. We will never get to enjoy the original Gaslight era recipe anyway, so what?
I served some Absinthe late in the evening last spring at my younger daughter's graduation party to any volunteers, already well buzzed on more plebian libations. What fun! Yes, the cold water over the suger cube in the spoon, lah de dah. Everyone who tried it loved it. But, it's anise flavored and like a visit to my Aunt Fern, only enjoyed infrequently, in small doses.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Fun to read this thread. We will never get to enjoy the original Gaslight era recipe anyway, so what?

Really?

You'd be surprised what is out there....

 

[deco_darling]

Absinthe

I've always had Absinthe La Fee. Drank plenty strong too. I think the only time I had a hallucinations was when I tried a mixed cocktail of Champagne and Absinthe. After 5-6 glasses I was seeing things. I remember staring at a picture frame and just remember I saw 4 instead of one frame! After that day I drank less of it. La Fee cost a little over $100 but if anyone knows of a suitable and inexpensive Absinthe please let me know. I kind of miss it.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Vieux Carré

Vieux Pontarlier

Leopold Brothers Absinthe

All reasonably priced and decent tasting, if not in your local liquor store check Drink Up NY online.

More decent absinthe being released domestically soon.

 

[deco_darling]

Much appreciated Absinthe_1900!

I will indeed try those out! Thanks for replying.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I've only ever had one absinthe that gave me hallucinations, Mari Mayans, and I only has one glass. I've probably had half a dozen or so other and never had anything like that.
My wife, a big fan, likes Absinth Supreme or La Fee.

Incidentally, I've met George Rowley, the founder of Le Fee, on a couple of occasions and had a tasting with him once. It's interesting to hear the story behind La Fee as well as the details regarding the flaming.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I've always had Absinthe La Fee. Drank plenty strong too. I think the only time I had a hallucinations was when I tried a mixed cocktail of Champagne and Absinthe.

Death In The Afternoon - a fine drink.