absinthe fountain is an ornamental iced-water dispenser used to slowly add water to a glass of absinthe. It came into vogue in French cafés in the latter 1800s, as the increasing popularity of absinthe demanded a more efficient means of service. Prior to the arrival of the fountain, absinthe was prepared by pouring iced water from a carafe or pitcher by hand. With the fountain, a server could prepare up to six or eight glasses at a time, or take the fountain to the table, allowing the guests to prepare their absinthes together, without waiting for a carafe to be passed.
The fountain’s most common form comprises a clear glass globe for holding ice and water with two to six spigots, all supported on a single, turned metal leg. In rural Switzerland, thrown pottery types are also found and often have many more spigots on the larger versions.
See also absinthe and absinthe drip.
Conrad, Barnaby. Absinthe: History in a Bottle. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1988.
By: Gwydion Stone