A SPIRITED EVENING WITH MARIELLE SONGY AND THE GARDEN DISTRICT BOOK SHOP
The Garden District Book Shop and The Chicory House are teaming up on April 17 to host a spirited pre-pub celebration for Marielle Songy’s The Absinthe Frappé. This exciting new book examines the history of absinthe, its origins, and its influences, culminating in the story of the iconic New Orleans cocktail.
In her book, Songy reveals how bartender Cayetano Ferrér invented the concoction and delves into the early days of the drink and its first home, the Old Absinthe House in the Crescent City. She explores the ban on absinthe in the United States and Europe and the misguided reasoning behind it, all in the context of New Orleans’s response to national Prohibition more broadly. Finally, Songy discusses the lifting of the restrictions on absinthe in 2007, a move largely spear-headed by New Orleans scientist and master distiller Theodore Breaux, who dispelled long-held notions that the Green Fairy invariably drove its connoisseurs to madness.
The event will kick-off at 6:00 PM with a welcome reception within The Chicory House featuring bites and Absinthe Frappés. Afterward, Songy will sit down with friend Sue Strachan to discuss the book and the history of the cocktail. Songy will then be available to chat with guests and sign copies of her book.
