Flaming Sugar Cube Controversy, Sommeliere's opinion Options

[Joe Legate]

#944... My first favorite car!

I hate you.
I only took this Mod job 'cuz the Guy in the White hat promised me a Boxster.

[peridot]

I never implied it was ritual...

That's just the slang often used with preparation methods. The flaming thing is the fire ritual, and the normal way is the dripping or water ritual or whatever. Cuz absinthe drinkers are all about making shit more dramatic and atmospheric and whatnot.

[fingerpickinblue]

See? This is the way MEN handle things! We say stupid shit to each other, throw the cards on the table,
and have drink together. Cheers!

Does that mean I have to take back the gratuitous and humorous "douche" thing?

This post has been edited by fingerpickinblue: Jan 30 2010, 09:14 PM

[Joe Legate]

Nah. We can be childish men as long as we play nice and don't become complete assholes when the girls post.

You first favorite car? Not your first car? Ok, I retract the "I hate you" thing.

[Gwydion Stone]

Can you feel the love in this room? I'm feelin' it.

[fingerpickinblue]

Nah. We can be childish men as long as we play nice and don't become complete assholes when the girls post.

You first favorite car? Not your first car? Ok, I retract the "I hate you" thing.

Oh c'mon. I've been feeling a little too well liked lately. That was just getting me back to the feeling I got from my last manager!

[peridot]

Can you feel the love in this room? I'm feelin' it.

You wanna fight about it?

[Gwydion Stone]

Okay. I'll start:

You call that noise "music"???

She's been misled. There is literally no current evidence that shows this was ever done before 1998.

I've given up trying to enlighten my misled friends.....

... 3) Make sure they know that almost everyone gets duped at first and it's nothing to be ashamed of. That has actually made a huge difference for me; people who just a moment ago couldn't let go are suddenly much more receptive.

It's so true. People (especially those who have taken up absinthe for its cool-factor) don't like to have things taken away from them unless they're replaced by something better. So I let them know I'm initiating them into the real obscure absinthe knowledge, which is unassailable, and proceed to tell them why. They usually end up being grateful.

Also, the "conveniently dead grandparent told me so it must be true" gambit is an old one. I remember it being used in the 1970s by witches to somehow give credence to their traditions. Speaking of witch, I saw this ironically themed allegation just a few days ago in a private discussion:

I'm not sure where you all are buying your Absinthe, but I sure have NOT paid $100 a bottle for my very nice, French, Swedish and Spanish made Absinthes.

I've sampled a large number of different brands, recipes, etc...including my own (French, moved from France to the USA when she was a young woman and spoke only french to me until I was 8 years old) Granmere's home made (yes she had a small home "still" and small wormwood casks (barrels.) She made a family recipe that produced some really TASTY Absinthe, and she prepared it a few different ways.

I have had people tell me that the burning prep was not "invented" until recently and that the "Green Fairy" thing is also a recent invention, but she sometimes did the burning prep and also called it the Green Faery. She was highly superstitous and big on faerys and would leave out milk and honey for the "house Faerys" favor.

Us older kids were allowed to have a few small sips of the Absinthe in tiny pony glasses, as a sort of sacrament for specific New Years and/or birthday toasts, we felt SO grown up!

When we talked about it as adults she old me that the Absinthe that she made was

Unfortunately, when she died my hard core Xtian aunt got rid of her still and would not let me even LOOK at the recipes...so I fear that they are lost forever.

Which is of course 100% bullshit.

Wormwood casks.

[peridot]

I particularly like the "wormwood casks" concept. Why don't more people make cool things from the wood of that noble tree?

[sbmac]

All I can say is drinking my first Pernot Vieux Pontarlier while visiting and posting tonight has been interesting to say the least. I feel like we should all be drinking and singing together in the sub from "Das Boot" as the charges drop from above. The only flames coming from our exploding engines.....and the only drips coming from our fountains and leaky bulkheads. I regret my overly snappy retort earlier. I need
to get out more perhaps.

-Scott

[Joe Legate]

We all do that sooner or later. We try to make it happen with less frequency the longer we're here. There are a hell of a lot of nice folks hanging around.

Why don't more people make cool things from the wood of that noble tree?

It's hard to get a good 2X4 with all those worms boring holes in it. It smells fantastic however.

[peridot]

I also am beginning to notice (and I'm probably just slow in this regard) a tendency of people to conflate controversial things with other things that are just common knowledge, which conveniently makes the controversial thing look less so. Like in the above quote, saying that people think flaming is a modern thing (yep) and so is calling it the green fairy (what?). I've had some difficulty with this lately; people weave misconceptions so tightly that it sometimes becomes a real chore to untie the knot of ignorance.

[peridot]

We all do that sooner or later. We try to make it happen with less frequency the longer we're here.

Yeah, I mellowed out a lot when I started frequenting very heavily moderated sports forums. I got a warning for asking about a moderator banning someone over a misunderstanding. Because you're not supposed to question a mod publicly. Nothing that can be construed as sexist allowed (like saying someone throws like a girl, or giving a girly nickname to a baseball player... I actually agree with this rule). No language, period. Even saying "I'm putting you on ignore" is a personal attack and can get you banned.

Just to get my in-depth sporting news I have to play so nice it's painful.

Then at some metal band forums you can get banned just by disagreeing with an artistic or marketing decision by the band, even if you're nice about it.

This place seems like total freakin' anarchy by comparison.

[Marlow]

I particularly like the "wormwood casks" concept. Why don't more people make cool things from the wood of that noble tree?

Shows how much you know. I'm having a deck made from wormwood right now. It's gonna be friggin awesome next summer when I louche up a flaming absinthe frappe of an evening.

Sheesh...what a bunch of louchebags!

This post has been edited by Marlow: Jan 30 2010, 10:16 PM

[sbmac]

Shows how much you know. I'm having a deck made from wormwood right now. It's gonna be friggin awesome next summer when I louche up a flaming absinthe frappe of an evening.

Be careful...most towns have a thujone limit for the lumber used in home improvements. I believe it is 10 mg per board foot.

[peridot]

That's weak. Who do we petition to change that?

[Marlow]

It's not an issue...if the inspectors come by, one whiff of the sawdust will have them tripping ballz so fast they'll forget what they came for.

[sbmac]

..

Fuck the messanger, give us PROOF, if not, fuck off (no offence intended)!

Thanks for adding in the "no offense intended" after the smoke cleared Peter. I was told by a couple guys that this is a very serious thing for you, and that you are a part of why absinthe is becoming popular again. I know first hand that when dealing with bullshit for many many years, one easily COULD have (and might have yesterday) meant offense in truth. If the "no offense intended" had been there when you first put up that post, I NEVER would have snapped back...(I'm clarifying here now so people reading your amended post won't think I'm a hair-trigger nut job).

I'm happy to meet someone with your knowledge and experience. I am considered an authority in the guitar restoration world, having many international clients, and written columns in several guitar magazines through the last 20 years. (That however doesn't mean I'm not corrected on things from time to time) I too have my issues; People (sometimes who SHOULD know better) frequently do and say things that damage fine instruments (often just to make a buck), and I've been pissed more than once at the rape of these precious instruments. I do understand your need to protect and nurture the culture.

Best, Scott

This post has been edited by sbmac: Jan 31 2010, 06:03 AM

[Joe Legate]

I'm sure you missed it, Scott but the "No offence" was there from the beginning.
Peter can come off as a little heavy-handed from time to time but I'm confident it is only because his passion for all things absinthe is intense.

I try to remember that written communication is missing the subtle nuance of vocal inflection. Unless a post is worded carefully, it's easy to be misunderstood. Certainly, I've popped-off many times when I shouldn't have and written things I later regretted. So I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. After a while, you learn to "read the voice."
Peter speaks strongly (and I usually laugh out loud at his bluntness).
The Guy in the White Hat personifies "glib."
Brian's personal experience resonates with almost every post he makes.
Dakini is the resident academic.
OMG_Bill cracks me up but when he gets pissed, you know something is really amiss.
Zman rarely ever wastes words, giving them the power and economy that a poet would choose.
And on and on...

[pierreverte]

I'm sure you missed it, Scott but the "No offence" was there from the beginning.

No, it wasn't, and I hoped that I could add the disclaimer quickly enough, but didn't, reflexes were impared.
My bad, note to self - try being less of a douche...

[OMG_Bill]

I believe passion is the key. A key that is well guarded and protected.

To our passions, let no one jack with them!

[Joe Legate]

I'm sure you missed it, Scott but the "No offence" was there from the beginning.

No, it wasn't, and I hoped that I could add the disclaimer quickly enough, but didn't, reflexes were impared.
My bad, note to self - try being less of a douche...

Ah. I stand corrected. Well, it was there damn quick. I must be the slow one here.

[Marlow]

Peter speaks strongly (and I usually laugh out loud at his bluntness).
The Guy in the White Hat personifies "glib."
Brian's personal experience resonates with almost every post he makes.
Dakini is the resident academic.
OMG_Bill cracks me up but when he gets pissed, you know something is really amiss.
Zman rarely ever wastes words, giving them the power and economy that a poet would choose.
And on and on...

This is kind of fun...

We also have:

Peridot...intensity leavened with integrity;

Retrogarde...historical joie de vivre, if that makes any sense;

Joe...avuncular serenity...

This post has been edited by Marlow: Jan 31 2010, 08:39 AM

[sbmac]

And there's me; well meaning, knows enough to be dangerous, wants to learn quickly, but admits it takes time. A crow half the time, and a dove the other half. One of my sayings is We're all the same schmuck with different haircuts". There's a lot of truth in it, and it's helped me get along with others better.

Peter, thanks for the gracious PM. I really dug the Pernot Vieux Pontarlier.

This post has been edited by sbmac: Jan 31 2010, 08:47 AM

[Absomphe]

One of us after all?

Paging Tod Browning...

[Nonmouse]

I particularly like the "wormwood casks" concept. Why don't more people make cool things from the wood of that noble tree?

They used to, before it was banned. It just takes many years for wormwood to grow to the stature required for lumber, and, of course, no wormwood saplings have been allowed to grow that big since the ban.

My cousin's sister-in-law's great-grandfather's stillhouse was made entirely of hand-hewn 4x10 wormwood planks, hand-laid and pegged with two-inch Melissa dowels.

And he aged his absinthe for a minimum of eleven years in three hundred gallon wormwood hogsheads.

Unfortunately, the stillhouse and all the barrels were burned down when he accidentally knocked over his flagon of absinthe when dropping a flaming sugar cube into it...

This post has been edited by Nonmouse: Jan 31 2010, 10:33 AM

[Joe Legate]

great-grandfather's stillhouse was made entirely of hand-hewn 4x10 wormwood planks, hand-laid and pegged with two-inch Melissa dowels.

And that was entirely worth the price of admission.

[Gwydion Stone]

We all do that sooner or later. We try to make it happen with less frequency the longer we're here.

Yeah, I mellowed out a lot when I started frequenting very heavily moderated sports forums. I got a warning for asking about a moderator banning someone over a misunderstanding. Because you're not supposed to question a mod publicly. Nothing that can be construed as sexist allowed ... No language, period. Even saying "I'm putting you on ignore" is a personal attack and can get you banned.

... Then at some metal band forums you can get banned just by disagreeing with an artistic or marketing decision by the band, even if you're nice about it.

This place seems like total freakin' anarchy by comparison.

Thanks for that wonderful breath of fresh perspective.

Shows how much you know. I'm having a deck made from wormwood right now....

Be careful...most towns have a thujone limit for the lumber used in home improvements. I believe it is 10 mg per board foot.

I like this guy. 10 mg/bf!

... People (sometimes who SHOULD know better) frequently do and say things that damage fine instruments (often just to make a buck), and I've been pissed more than once at the rape of these precious instruments.

Thank goodness such a thing never happens in absintheland.

One of us after all?

Paging Tod Browning...

And then there's Absomphe: Mr. Obscure Triviata Namedropper dude. He and I are probably the only two here who wouldn't have to google Gerard Damiano.

... wormwood planks, hand-laid and pegged with two-inch Melissa dowels.

That's what she said.

Wait... Melissa Dowels? I think I've seen her videos.

[Joe Legate]

I thought she married Tony but later divorced him when she learned he really didn't like the Beav.

[Absomphe]

And then there's Absomphe: Mr. Obscure Triviata Namedropper dude. He and I are probably the only two here who wouldn't have to google Gerard Damiano.

Or Gail Palmer...or Paul Thomas...or Alex de Renzy...ah, those halcyon daze of pretentious celluloid porn.