No anise, no pernod, no problem. Here's a vitebsk rye in which I used absinthe as the flavoring.
I was able to keep the malt scald at a constant 60C/140F in a toaster oven. I baked it in a dutch oven, 10 min at 260C/500F lid on, 25 min at 240C/460 F lid off, 13 min at 200C/400F outside of the DO till the bottom thumped nicely.
It has a slightly bitter finish initial flavor hit ... due to the strength of the absinthe, probably (I could have perhaps used a bit more honey -- which I was subbing for molasses.)
[the preceding tasting note was 1 hour after pulling the bread from the oven. Now, after a couple more hours, the bitterness has mostly evaporated (unless the absinthe has corrupted my taste buds). I had a slice with some kippers. Kablooie! It was the bomb.]
Anyway, I'm hoping this bread makes me look more like this happy guy -- Manet's Absinthe Drinker:
Rob
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Great bake and write up, Rob. Manet's pic certainly makes the brain rot swigger look glamorous!
Lance
Thanks, Lance. I'd say Degas was more documentary in his take on Absinthe drinkers:
Manet's version is kind of like the Absinthe equivalent of the Marlboro man.
Lance
Your rye bakes are getting wild. How much absinthe did you put? Do you prefer Pernod over this?
Many thanks, Lin. Both breads were sublime. Absinthe has more bite (and more alcohol) and contains no sugar. Pernod is gentler and has a lot of sugar. The amounts I used aren't comparable because I was baking for more people this time & made a 50% bigger loaf. I've make this with anise, with Pernod, & now with absinthe. All 3 make breads of distinction with unusual characteristics: being 100% light rye gives them a tight crumb but also allows the loaf to feel kind-of ethereal. And the subtly different artemisia-anise notes give them a fantastic sweet 'n' crunchy aromatic crust. -- Rob
Did you do anything to protect the levian from the adverse effects of alcohol? Did any who consumed experience hallucinogenic episodes after consumption? I recently made a red wine baguette formula. However, I evaporated much of the alcohol off to prevent issues with the fermentation.
I saw & admired your wine baguettes, Will. I have found that relatively large amounts of low alcohol flavorings -- hard cider, for inst, as half the liquid in a 'Normandy rye' -- and small amounts of high alcohol beverages -- like absinthe in this bread -- do not seem to inhibit yeast growth and the alcohol seems to burn off during the bakes. And, despite the early 20th century panic, scientists have determined that fears of wormwood were greatly exaggerated. Absinthe was cheap and people drank massive amounts of it. Alcohol consumption in France went up 15-20x between 1875 and 1913. The problem, in short, was the huge amount of alcohol people were drinking & not thujone, the psychoactive component of artemisia.
Rob
one other note -- the alcohol in the cider rye was added to the final dough after the levain had developed. Same in this bread, where it was in the rye malt scald which I later mixed with the levain. Most likely, by the time the alcohol came in contact with both levains, the yeasties were sufficiently strong to resist its devilish blandishments.
Rob
I must confess, a few years ago I sort out a establishment the served abistsine. I agree I was unable to achieve any psychedelic mind bending. No matter how much I consumed. Inebriation however was easily achieved. Smile...
Entertaining (and tasty) and interesting that the taste evolved like it did!
Hmmm... Am wondering what else in the back of the liquor cabinet would work, perhaps avoid the crème de menthe.
-Jon
Hehe, you are right.