A green-colored spirit made from the flowers and leaves of the wormwood herb (Artemisia absinthium), absinthe was a favorite of Parisian writers and artists of the 19th century, who called it the “green fairy” and credited it with powers of creativity.

However, consumption of absinthe was accused of leading to hallucinations and madness. The troublemaker was believed to be a chemical component of wormwood, thujone. Today, we know that while thujone can be dangerous in large quantities, there is far too little of it in absinthe to have any negative effect. There is no modern proof that absinthe is any more dangerous than any other spirit.

General alcoholism, possibly in combination with other medical maladies, were the most likely causes of the hallucinations and madness of absinthe drinkers. In 2008, it became legal to import absinthe into the U.S., and domestic distillation began as well.
Pernod Absinthe, the original absinthe brand, has whipped up some cocktails to get everyone in the “green fairy” mood.

Serve a Green Beast for National Absinthe Day or St. Pat’s. Pernod was the most popular brand of absinthe throughout the 19th century, until the sale of absinthe was banned in 1915. Photo courtesy Pernod.

Ingredients Per Drink

1. MUDDLE 2 slices of cucumber in a cocktail shaker.

El hada verde is Spanish for la fée verte, or green fairy. The green fairy becomes el hada verde when tequila is mixed with absinthe.

ABSINTHE COCKTAIL RECIPE: HADA VERDE

Ingredients Per Drink

Preparation

1. MUDDLE a rosemary sprig in a mixing glass. ADD tequila, absinthe, lime juice and simple syrup and shake with ice.

2. RIM a rocks glass with salt, if desired.

3. STRAIN cocktail into a glass. Garnish and serve.

This recipe for Matcha Green Tea Marshmallows has a provenance: We got it from The Republic of Tea, which seems to have picked it up from YumSugar.com, which adapted it from an Alton Brown recipe. In terms of Alton’s inspiration: No doubt it was a confectioner or pastry chef.

Whether you’re a marshmallow fan, a matcha tea fan or simply want to whip up something green for St. Patrick’s Day, you’ll have fun with this recipe.

You can use the rest of the tin to make a green tea latte, matcha cookies, matcha ice cream, macarons, madeleines, pound cake, and of course, hot or iced matcha tea.

MATCHA GREEN TEA MARSHMALLOWS

Ingredients

Matcha marshmallows are color-appropriate for St. Patrick’s Day and an elegant snack any day of the year. Photo courtesy YumSugar.com.

1. SIFT confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, and one teaspoon matcha powder together in a small bowl. Lightly spray a metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add a little of the green confectioners’ sugar mixture to the pan and lightly tap to coat the bottom and sides. Return any remaining mixture to the bowl for later. Also lightly coat the offset spatula with nonstick spray and set aside for later.

2. WHISK together the gelatin and 1/2 cup water into a small bowl and let sit for five minutes until the gelatin is dissolved. In a small heavy-bottom saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cover and cook over medium high heat for three to four minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan, and continue to cook until mixture reaches 240ºF, approximately seven to eight minutes. Immediately remove from the heat.

3. TURN the mixer on low-speed and slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Increase the speed to medium high and allow the mixture to whip for six minutes. Meanwhile, create a slurry with one tablespoon of matcha powder and one tablespoon of water. Mix until no dry parts remain. If the mixture is too dry, add another teaspoon of water.

4. TURN speed up to high and whip another six to eight minutes, or until mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm. Add matcha slurry during the last minute of whipping. Quickly pour the mixture into the prepared pan, using the lightly oiled spatula to spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Generously dust the top of the marshmallow with the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for four to eight hours.
5. TURN the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and use a pizza wheel to vertically and horizontally cut marshmallows into one-inch-square pieces. Dust the newly cut marshmallows with the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture. Store in an airtight container for up to three weeks. If marshmallows become too moist over time, redust them with any leftover sugar and cornstarch mixture to “refresh” them. Makes about 50 square marshmallows.
 
NOTES

DISCOVER ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEA IN OUR TEA GLOSSARY.

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