Up To Date

When The Green Fairy Disappeared, France Became Known For Its Wines

By Steve Kraske,

Published February 23, 2021 at 5:20 AM CST

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Illustration of the wormwood plant and its various parts — Grand wormwood is one of the three botanicals used in producing traditional absinthe and was the one that saw the spirit banned in a number of countries for decades.

Once literally the toast of Paris, myths and rumors drove the production of the green spirit absinthe underground.

From the late 1800s through the early 1900s the absinthe craze was at its peak. The spirit, with an alcohol content up to 70 percent, originated in Switzerland and became the favorite of the French. Master Sommelier Doug Frost explains what led to the almost total disappearance of absinthe.

Doug Frost, master of wine, master sommelier
Lora Vogt, curator of education, World War I Museum
Michael Stuckey, master distiller, Lifted Spirits

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Up To Date Podcast Liquor World War I Food & Drink alcohol

Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Danie Alexander

As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.

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