NEW ORLEANS (press release) – July 6 will bring a special Evening of Absinthe with journalist and author Marielle Songy, highlighting her book “The Absinthe Frappe,” and complemented by a sampling of Jade Nouvelle-Orléans Absinthe Supérieure, courtesy of Ted A. Breaux of Jade Liqueurs, LLC.
This not-to-be-missed program will be held at 6 p.m. in the beautifully restored, air-conditioned BK House Salon, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 ($5 for members) and include a specialty crafted absinthe cocktail with light refreshments. Visit www.bkhouse.org to reserve your seat. “The Absinthe Frappe” will be available for purchase following the presentation.
The presentation will examine the history of absinthe, its origins, and its influences, culminating in the story of the iconic New Orleans cocktail. The audience will learn how bartender Cayetano Ferrér invented the concoction as she delves into the early days of the drink and its first home, the Old Absinthe House in the Crescent City. Songy will explore the ban on absinthe in the United States and Europe and the misguided reasoning behind it, all in the context of New Orleans’s response to national Prohibition more broadly. She will discuss the lifting of the restrictions on absinthe in 2007, a move largely spearheaded by New Orleans scientist and master distiller Theodore Breaux, who dispelled long-held notions that the Green Fairy invariably drove its connoisseurs to madness.
Annie Irwin, executive director for the Historic BK House & Gardens, is excited to host this informative program. “This is a fabulous opportunity for us to explore the history of this unique spirit and key ingredient in America’s first cocktail. And, it should be a festive event.”
Details about upcoming BK House events and membership information are available at www.bkhouse.org for those who want to support the Museum and take advantage of future programming discounts.