The Ideal Ingredients for a Toulouse-Lautrec Cocktail

Painting of me by Thomasina DeMaio

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of participating in the Palette Gallery Absinthe event. You can read about that starry night in this blog post.

Today I’m sharing the delicious drink I served at the event named after the famous painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Who is Toulouse-Lautrec?

I love absinthe's relationship to art. Absinthe was definitely present at many artist salons, events, and gatherings during the late 19th and early 20th centuries! It shows up in paintings from van Gogh, Picasso and Édouard Manet.

Recognized as the Green Fairy, this drink was so popular among creatives in Paris that five o'clock was known as the Green Hour. No other artist brought the spirit of absinthe to the canvas or to our attention the way Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec did.

An informative article about absinthe and artists from the Tate Gallery says, “While most of these artists remained relatively passive flâneurs and only occasional absinthe drinkers, some immersed themselves in the experience. An official report later remarked that many late nineteenth-century Parisian writers and painters gave themselves up to “the green” with passion in their quest for more original and exquisite ideas. Among the most prominent of these was Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who illustrated the life of the music halls, the bars, the brothels and, in particular, the Moulin Rouge.”

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (born 1864 - died 1901) was a French painter and illustrator. He was one of the greatest painters of the Post-Impressionist period. Toulouse-Lautrec was so immersed in the vibrancy of late 19th century Paris that he has become synonymous with its bohemian legacy.

The Toulouse-Lautrec Foundation has more compelling stories about his art and life. Explore his stories through their website.

Read the full article from London's Tate Gallery about 19th& 20th century French artists and their connection to absinthe.

Toulouse-Lautrec and Lucién Metivet drinking absinthe c.1885
Photograph
© Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, Albi-Tarn, France

Why Absinthia’s Verte Absinthe for this recipe?

I prefer to serve the Toulouse-Lautrec cocktails with my verte absinthe instead of the blanche. The Verte formula has more of an earthy, botanical taste.

What I love about this Toulouse-Lautrec cocktail is its historical reference to the Belle Epoque and Absinthe’s heyday, as well as being delicious!

Cognac was commonly used in pre-Prohibition era cocktails and was the original spirit in the Sazerac, the official drink of New Orleans. Toulouse-Lautrec’s absinthe cocktail, also known as Tremblement de Terre, or the Earthquake, is well balanced in its spirit forward yet slightly sweet manner.

Purchase a bottle of Absinthia's Absinthe Here

Bar Tools You'll Need for This Recipe

We like recipes that are easy to combine. Besides the ingredients, all you'll need is a cocktail glass and some ice. We prefer to enjoy this drink in a brandy snifter.

Click Here to add our favorite brandy snifter to your home bar.

Toulouse-Lautrec Cocktail Recipe

2oz Absinthia’s Verte Absinthe

2oz Cognac

1oz simple syrup

Handful of ice

Splash of water

Combine Absinthe, Cognac and simple syrup in a brandy snifter. Stir well and add an ice cube plus a splash of cold water.

Edgar Degas (1834-1917), Au café dit L'absinthe (1876), oil on canvas, 92 x 69 cm, Musée d'Orsay. "The Absinthe Drinker."

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