*Chantal Tseng and Dan Searing, your new American gothic...*

Absinthe was popular once in the United States, and then it became illegal (well, not really illegal, but regulated out of availability). But now this unusual spirit is back and ready for your enjoyment, and Chantal Tseng and Dan Searing are ready to wow you with it and many other interesting drinks every fifth Thursday evening in the Reading Room at Petworth Citizen. The first event is tomorrow, Thursday March 31st at 7pm.

This new series at the Reading Room is called Fifth Column Thursday, where Chatal and Dan will "offer a variety of craft drinks drawing from both of their specialties. This month, expect beer, wine, Absinthe, Sherry, and a handful of specialty cocktails." This Thursday the focus is on the spirit absinthe (technically, it's not a liquor), and Chantal and Dan will teach you about the history of the drink, and make you some tasty drinks with it. I mean, they're going to have an Absinthe Fountain. That just sounds cool.

Petworth Citizen Reading Room
829 Upshur St NW
Thursday March 31st at 7pm
Learn more at the Facebook event page >

"There are only five Thursdays in a month about three times a year," Chantal told me. "Every fifth Thursday we'll feature an absinthe focused bar menu with absinthe fountain service, cocktails and wine, cider and beer options. To launch our series, we will be highlighting absinthe producers: Vilya, Vieux Pontarlier, Corsair & Matter-Luginbuhl (the latter being a formula inspired by H.R. Giger)."

According to Chantal, you can expect to find cocktails like the "Death in the Afternoon, Corpse Reviver No. 2, Chrysanthemum, Sazerac as well as the delicious modern Absinthe classic: the Green Beast."

Here's the menu:

Absinthe fountain service: (with or w/o sugarcube, grenadine, orgeat or creme de menthe)
Vilya Spirits Extrait d'Absinthe Blanche, Montana $10
Vilya Spirits Extrait d'Absinthe Verte, Montana $11
Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe, France $11
Matter-Luginbühl, H.R. Giger Absinthe Brevans, Switzerland $14
Corsair Distillery Red Absinthe, Kentucky $10