Virtually tasty: 'Green Fairy' cocktails

Absinthe, the controversial anise-flavored spirit also known as the "Green Fairy," is a fitting libation for celebrating the North American tradition of Halloween on October 31. Here are some tips on how to best enjoy the spirit.

How to prepare (a proper) glass of absinthe with Lance Winters, a St George Absinthe Verte distiller via an Outside's Go magazine clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3zd6X43qqE

"How to Drink Absinthe" by the DIY video site Howcast:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57V1ukdo5fM&NR

TheSpir.it's Round Robin cocktail with absinthe and egg whites:
http://www.thespir.it/articles/egg-white-cocktails/

Also, you might want to try these six absinthe cocktails from the book A Taste for Absinthe: 65 Recipes for Classic & Contemporary Cocktails (September 2010, $24.99/€18) via the food section of blog and news site HuffingtonPost on October 11. With names like "Death at Dusk" and "Black Fairy" the drinks should make for Halloween crowd pleasers.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/11/absinthe-cocktails-recipes_n_758553.html

For more on "The Legend of the Green Fairy," here is a clip produced "from the Obsello presentation at Degusta trade show in Barcelona, Spain" in 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zKXL8GBh2E

And, to help you select the best bottle here is Esquire magazine's ranking of the "Five Best Bottles of Absinthe" in 2008:

 - Vieux Pontarlier (€57)
 - Mansinthe (€36)
 - Pernod Absinthe (€49)
 - Versinthe (€27-29)
 - St. George Absinthe Verte ($75/€54)

If you are unsettled by the Green Fairy you might want to substitute other anise-rich spirits like arak, ouzo, pastis or anisette for absinthe.