After nearly 100 years of illegality, absinthe has recently been legalized! Woohoo! Apparently, nobody really remembered why it was made illegal in the first place. Well, except for that one guy who killed his wife and two kids after drinking it for breakfast (in addition to "Creme de Menthe, cognac and soda, more than six glasses of wine and a cup of coffee laced with brandy"). In 1905.

In order to make your first (legal) glass of absinthe this side of the Atlantic perfect, try the following: Put sugar in a slotted spoon resting on a glass holding one ounce of absinthe and pour cold water over the sugar, letting it dissolve. Add water until a five parts water to one part absinthe mixture is obtained and sip. Notice the "louche," or cloudiness created by absinthe's non-water-soluble components.

Alternately: Pour in shot glass and drink. Say hello to the Green Fairy!