by Camper English

Absinthe Frappe

Absinthe is a spirit with a lot of baggage. It was outlawed in several European countries and in the United States after some really bad publicity. In one case, it was blamed for a gruesome murder, but most of the time they just claimed thujone, the chemical in the bitter flavoring agent Grand Wormwood, makes you insane. The newly legal absinthes on the market have less than the U.S. government’s maximum allowed thujone content, so we can again enjoy its flavor — which is anise, by the way.

1 1/2 oz. Lucid Absinthe Superieure

1/2 oz. simple syrup

Crushed or shaved ice

Fill a Collins or other narrow glass with crushed or shaved ice, then add absinthe, simple syrup, and stir thoroughly.

This drink is a way to enjoy absinthe without the sugar cube and cold water fountain you’ve seen in photos. Make simple syrup by (simply) mixing equal parts sugar and water in a bottle and shaking until the sugar dissolves. Store it in the refrigerator between uses. If you don’t want to buy crushed ice at the store (you’ll be spending plenty on the absinthe anyway), put some ice cubes in a clean towel and whack it with a hammer or muddler to break it into smaller pieces. You want smaller pieces of ice to give plenty of dilution to the drink.