Death in the afternoon

Death in the Afternoon is a cocktail made of absinthe and champagne, invented by the American writer Ernest Hemingway. The drink's name is derived from Hemingway's book Death in the Afternoon, a non-fiction account of Spanish bullfighting. This cocktail is known for its strong, complex flavor and the cultural connotations it carries, reflecting Hemingway's adventurous life and his love for Spain.

History

The cocktail Death in the Afternoon was created by Ernest Hemingway. The recipe was first published in 1935 in the cocktail book So Red the Nose, or Breath in the Afternoon, a collection of cocktail recipes contributed by famous authors. Hemingway's instructions were simple: "Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly."

Ingredients and Preparation

The primary ingredients of Death in the Afternoon are:

• Absinthe: A highly alcoholic spirit made from various herbs, including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia absinthium (wormwood), green anise, and sweet fennel.
• Champagne: A sparkling wine that comes from the Champagne region of France.

To prepare the cocktail, a measure of absinthe is poured into a Champagne flute, and then cold Champagne is added until the drink becomes cloudy, a result of the louching effect when water (or in this case, Champagne) is added to absinthe.

Cultural Significance

Death in the Afternoon reflects Hemingway's storied lifestyle and his fascination with the themes of bravery, death, and the existential pursuit of meaning—themes that are prevalent in his literary works. The cocktail, much like Hemingway's writing, embodies a certain boldness and an embrace of life's more intense experiences.

See Also

• Ernest Hemingway
• Absinthe
• Champagne
• Bullfighting
• Cocktails