Book - Absinthe Antiques: A collection from la Belle Époque

After nearly a century of Prohibition, the legendary "green fairy" -- absinthe -- is once again legal. Although absinthe is usually discussed in connection with the painters, writers, and poets of the Belle Epoque in France, it was also immensely popular among the general public in many countries, including some parts of the United States (most notably New Orleans).

There are many things about absinthe which are alluring, from its mythical heightened creativity, its magical transformation as it "louches" from a transparent green-tinted liquid into a rich, luscious, complex drink, and -- notably -- the ritual and ceremony which has always attended its preparation and serving.

While today's absinthe lovers have an astonishing array of spoons, carafes, fountains, and other paraphernalia available to prepare it in the classic manner, there is still something uniquely enchanting about original "absinthiana". A reproduction absinthe spoon may look much like the original, and function just as well, but preparing and drinking absinthe with glassware and other items that were actually used during the classic years of the 19th century is a wonderful link to a distant past.

Collector S.B. MacDonald has put together a sumptuously illustrated book of such Belle Epoque absinthe paraphernalia and ephemera, ranging from absinthe spoons to bottles, topettes, brouilleurs, carafes, and just about anything else related to the cafés and bistrots where absinthe reigned for so many years.

Even if you are not a collector, it would be hard not to be enchanted by the hundreds of fascinating and unusual items shown it this delightful book, for MacDonald is not just a collector, he is a skilled photographer with an eye for artful presentation.

This is a must-have for anyone who enjoys absinthe and its storied history. It's a book that can be picked up and enjoyed at any time, with something new to discover each time you open it.