The Sugar Bar

Ah, the ‘green fairy’. Our legendary drink. A double-edged sword that triggers both gaiety and melancholy.

There’s always been so much talk about this once elusive and yet not difficult to procure spirit, especially if you think along the lines of its debatable hallucinogenic properties. Now that it has become popular once again (and relatively easier to source) in Europe and throughout the rest of the world, it’s not difficult to trace its history and connections with many past intellectuals and writers – among them one of the writers I’d like to think I’d get along pretty well with, Oscar Wilde.

At the beginning of the 19th century, absinthe was labelled a working class drink and was easily one of the cheapest spirits available to the despairing and the poor. Edgar Degas’s Absinthe depicts the drunkard and the prostitute as key exploiters of modern consumption and places them aptly within the modern space for consumption — the bar, where an easy outlet of release lies in the tempting green arms of the absinthe drink. Apart from its association with such underground figures and its worrying harmful side effects, absinthe became less the powerful drink that represented escapism and despondency and more the symbol of a degenerate society spawned from modernity itself.

‘the perfect example of Second Empire capitalism, a mass-produced, commercial, and rather fraudulent concoction taken over from le peuple, creating money for its suppliers and for café proprietors’ – Herbert, 1988

From the mid-19th century onwards, absinthe became the fashionable aperitif and the drink of choice amongst the bourgeoisie. A whole hour, known as the Green Hour, was even dedicated to it. Furthermore, absinthe was appearing often in the paintings of Manet and Van Gogh. Artists and poets were consuming it in large quantities as well. No surprise why the age of decadence was later criticized, paid tribute to and immortalized by many decadent poets.

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If you have yet to hear of the B55 shot, you might be familiar still with its cousin the B52 shot.

B55
Ingredients

1/3 Sebor Absinthe (one of the most affordable ones out there)
1/3 Baileys Irish Cream
1/3 Kahlua

If you’re not too skilled in preparing layered shots, pour the spirit onto a slanted spoon into the shotglass slowly so as to keep the layers neat.
Begin with kahlua at the bottom, followed by the Baileys and lastly the lovely green absinthe.

B52
Ingredients

1/3 Grand Marnier
1/3 Baileys Irish Cream
1/3 Kahlua

Similar preparation: Kahlua at bottom, Baileys in the middle and topped off with Grand Marnier.

Personally I prefer the B55. It has a nicer finish. Contrary to popular belief, good absinthe isn’t bitter at all. This shot, combined with the milky richness of the Baileys, with its flavours deepened with kahlua, will leave you with a delightful tasty trail of absinthe at the end, tantalizing you with its distinctive refreshing, almost herby taste. And although common absinthe is bottled at about 55% alcohol, a B55 shot will not leave you hallucinating or off your face at any one point (unless you have a crazy boat of 9 shots or more).

Absinthe connoisseurs can stick to the traditional way of enjoying absinthe neat or louched with water, with a sugar cube or no. The radicals can set it alight and the modern creative souls out there can enjoy them in layered shots, ice cream sundaes and cupcakes, etc.

However, with freedom comes restraint (as so we learn from Julius Caesar). Therefore, remember moderation is the keyword here.

A night to cheer me up was arranged last week. Every girl dreams of a Sex and The City moment and this was it. We’d surely had lots of them before and one of the best had been at Zizzi’s for Hannah’s 19th Birthday. Having an elegant dinner in a restaurant with a good ambience with your best girlfriends is definitely a great pill. It’s difficult to deal with problems on your own but with reliable friends around you and good food, the healing process begins. For me, there’s something about clean pretty napkins, tablecloth and shiny cutlery that puts me at peace.

Err..I can hear people asking me if I’m pulling your leg or just gone off my bonkers. But really, it does. Anyhow, to the Slug and Lettuce it was. A pub/restaurant place – it’s not too posh or too dress-down either. Its in-between status, however, makes it a great spot for chilled out nights with a small touch of fanciness and puts it high on my chart of simple nights out. We splashed out and had an array of hot breads with dips and medium bowl of olives for an appetizer. Our main courses were amazing as well. Hannah had some sort of sandwich, Kate a salad (her only complaint about it was the generous dressing), Anna…I don’t actually remember! I think it was mushrooms on ciabatta bread. I went for a fish pie which was heavenly. Very well done overall.

An extra point went to the Slug’s Wednesday promotion. All bottles of wine, no matter the price, goes for only £11.95 on wednesdays and indeed we took advantage of this and went for 2 bottles of the best whites they had. The fancy Chablis was a sure hit with us girls. The night ended with a shot of B52 each and a solid hour of girl-chatting on a big, huggy, comfy couch.

Food and company – what more can a girl ask for to take her mind off certain hiccups in life!

After din din, I sit about for a bit feeling slightly loss. I’m missing the ‘shall we head to the pub for a coupla drinks?’ option which I do not have right now being in my tropical experiencing-rain country situated in the heart of my little TaiKeng village with no ability to drive myself out of the winding out-roads to civilisation. Too used to having The Country Girl, Gunnies, Bristol Pear, The Soak and T.C.’s all in walking distance, I find not having a pub within easy distance quite a tough one to chew. It’s great to be at home whipping up homecooked food or having mum’s yummy chinese cuisine when I’m too lazy to offer to do din; but I find pub food very different and the whole atmosphere of being in a pub so utterly relaxing. I even think being in one nursing a cider or lager helps me to unwind and think. It just sorts you out to the bone.

Pub grub reminds me of home-cooking when mum does something very nice for a special occasion and gets all excited about cooking and yet it’s nearly stress-free because it’s done for family. No one needs to be overly critical and can enjoy the food for what it is just as it is. Humble food without needing to be pretentious. And I really like it that way. Plus, how can I deny myself of good ol’ English dishes?? Bring on the Toad in a Hole (seriously, it’s my favourite…i could just live on it for the rest of my life), Mitchells & Butlers scream pub’s The Scream Burger, The Soak’s Sunday Roast, or a well-seasoned lamb shank with the smoothest and creamiest mash. MMMMM.
Now you wonder why I don’t ever not look pregnant to you.

Of the pubs mentioned above, (you must note i haven’t travelled all over the country like Gary Rhodes looking for local food heroes or pubs for that matter so my version here will be a very humble one within limits of my own knowledge) the Scream pubs are good for alright fare and serve up hot food for days when you’re slightly skint and just really need a good sorting out for a hangover. For worse hangovers, stick to lying in bed for a bit, water, cup of hot black tea and an aspirin. Then when you’re actually more able to walk, attempt to make yourself a good greasy fry-up.
The Gun Barrels, aka Gunnies, on Bristol Road, Birmingham provides university students with value for money meals that are tasty, well-cooked and soooo yummy! Try the falafel burger, the Scream burger and the halloumi and mushroom baguette. Be indulgent and go for curly fries rather than regular chips and you’ll be rubbing your belly in satisfaction when you’re done.

**The Falkland Arms, (ref post picture above) known for referring to itself as a ‘real pub’ with real food is in Great Tew, Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire and is one of the best pubs in that area. Beautifully and quaintly decorated, it is the only pub with a thatched roof. It’s also always pimped out for Christmas which is great fun. Service may be on the slow side but the waitresses are always very friendly and attentive. Toad in the Hole is amazing but also try the stuffed peppers. They’re heavenly – sweet, juicy but yet has the best roasted taste on its outer skins. If you’re a real woman, I mean man, definitely go for the lamb shank or the chicken breast with bacon,mushroom and blue cheese then finish off with a good dessert like sticky toffee pudding or the rare Eton Mess. You may not be a public school kid but that doesn’t deny you the rewards of a good Eton Mess!

I can feel somewhere in the gastronomical arenas of my body calling out to me. Suppose I’ll be heading to my local pub very soon! and my self-opened The Squirrel (this is part of a future plan so do not try looking for this pub just yet; give me say bout 10 years maybe?) in my dreams.

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