Stony Absinthe Frappé | Cannabis Cocktail
I recently infused a bottle of Absinthe produced by the master of traditional Absinthe, my friend Ted Breaux. For my book, Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics I infused a bottle of the Jade 1901, but for this experiment, I went all out and ordered a bottle of the Nouvelle-Orleans, which is a tad less sweet, better for the following hand-held refreshment.
A Stony Absinthe Frappé….and the story behind it.
Bartender Cayetano Ferrer invented the Absinthe Frappé in 1874 at the Old Absinthe House in New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s hard to imagine today, but the Absinthe Frappé became a popular morning cocktail. In 1912, the United States banned the sale of absinthe due to claims that it caused hallucinations or even death, which is a complete fabrication.
It took nearly 100 years before the government lifted the ban on absinthe. Wormwood, a primary botanical in absinthe, does not possess quite the hallucinogenic properties as previously thought, in fact a bottle of Sweet Vermouth has more wormwood, and it has never been banned. Thujone, the active ingredient in absinthe, is also found in orange juice and onions with a much greater concentration than absinthe, yet absinthe was banned because of the high alcohol content along with the other herbal ingredients.
Absinthe is however, a very high-proof liquor at 55-70+ % ABV or more. For comparison, the average bottle of vodka or gin is around 40% ABV. Overconsumption of absinthe is definitely not recommended!
Recipe: Stony Absinthe Frappé (For one)
Ingredients
2 oz. Cannabis infused Absinthe (I used the very rare and delicious Nouvelle-Orleans)
Fresh mint, well washed, picked over, and dried…
2 oz. Simple Syrup 1:1 ratio. That means 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of boiling water
Freshly crushed ice that doesn’t taste like your refrigerator… I make my ice in trays inside freezer-type plastic bags. Always crush to order…
Instructions
To a Boston Shaker, fill ¾ with regular cube ice
Add the Cannabis infused absinthe to the shaker
Add the simple syrup
Add a couple more cubes of ice
Cap and shake hard for twenty or so seconds
Add freshly crushed ice to a glass
Slap some mint over your palm and add to the crushed ice
Pour the Absinthe Frappé over the ice and slapped mint
Slap another piece of mint against your hand and place on top of the Absinthe Frappé
Serve and start another. It’s that good and that stony!