Peerside

While strolling across a collection of french blogs recently I came across an entry which reposted the history of one of my favourite drinks - Pastis. Unfortunately in Ireland most people's experience with Pastis is restricted to terrible e hangover experiences and very strong aversion to the distinctive anise aroma - as a result Pastris is rare here and typically restricted to Pernod which you can get in most bars - ask for Pastis and you'll be rewarded with a look suggesting you have more than the single head most people are accustomed to.

Below is the reproduced history

Pastis is a distilled spirit made from a blend of herbs. The flavor is predominantly that of anise, thus putting it in the same general class as sambuca and ouzo. It is commonly consumed as an aperitif—sort of a liquid, alcoholic appetizer—and in France, where it’s most popular, the custom is to dilute it at the table with about five parts of cold water. The ritual of adding the water, which causes the translucent yellowish liquid to turn cloudy, is part of the fun of drinking pastis. But the most interesting thing about pastis is its history. That it should exist at all is a bit of an accident.

Throughout the 1800s, the aperitif of choice in France (and in many other places) was absinthe. This potent drink was also distilled from herbs and had a strong anise flavor. Many artists and writers swore that absinthe enhanced their creativity, calling it “the green muse.” This unusual effect of absinthe was thought to come from its key ingredient, an herb called wormwood. However, absinthe was also thought to cause hallucinations, violence, blindness, and even insanity. Although no solid scientific proof of wormwood’s toxicity was produced, absinthe became an easy scapegoat for a large number of social ills. By the early 20th century, public opinion had turned against absinthe and it was banned in France and most other western countries.

While this satisfied the prohibitionist urges of a vocal minority, there were two groups of people who were quite displeased with the ban: the millions of absinthe drinkers who suffered no apparent harm, and the distillers, such as Jules Pernod, whose plant produced thousands of bottles a day. Necessity, it is said, is the mother of invention. The combination of public demand for a legal but absinthe-like drink and the distilleries’ desire to stay in business inevitably led to a substitute: pastis. It is made in the same manner—and from many of the same ingredients—as absinthe. However, the alcohol level is much lower and it does not include wormwood. Under such brand names as Pernod and Ricard, pastis rapidly rose to popularity in France, and within a few decades, absinthe was all but forgotten.