Return to the Lair (and the Lure) of La Fée Verte

Back in October of 2014, just before we got the bad news about my son's kidney issues (which have since been happily resolved), I visited Black and Blue, Larry Porter's very unique pub in Easton, PA. I referred to it as "Poe's Place." and you can read that story by clicking on the link.

There's a very different vibe you'll get upon entering, most of it having to do with the decor and the furnishings-- like the bathtub in the foyer--that will immediately signal "This is not the Cheers Pub."

But, apparently, its remarkable beer list (selected by the peripatetic Porter himself), some exceptional food and the presence of Absinthe and the accoutrements to prepare it properly are the reason its many regulars enjoy a place where "everybody knows your name."

Our party of eight hardly qualified as regulars, and most had never been there. But our newbie status didn't stop us from being warmly welcomed and being immediately absorbed into the vibe.

Larry Porter, with whom the missus and I traveled to Belgium on what was perhaps the greatest trip of our lives, had arranged for us to have the "King's Room," a curtained off area with a table large enough to accommodate us as we sat amid some unusual decorations.

Larry joined us for a while and then let us set about our business, which included eating some delicious food and drinking some superlative beers. The company was grand, there were lots of laughs, and often guests from outside in the non-King's Room section would come in to borrow our "child" for picture purposes.

But this was all a precursor to the real reason for our visit--a chance to meet The Green Fairy, aka Absinthe. Once illegal in this country (due mostly to temperance movements and myth), it is no longer, and entrepreneur Larry Porter jumped on the opportunity to stock it, making Black and Blue the largest purveyor of La Fée Verte--the green fairy--in the tristate area.

And departing from Black and Blue's usual method of serving by preparing the drink at the bar, Larry was kind enough to send the whole operation into the King's Room, where we watched in rapt wonder while the Fairy made her grand appearance. Then, completely entranced, we sipped her in magical wonder and amid the usual camaraderie of the PubScout Beers and Bikers Club, aka the PBBC.

Many thanks to Larry Porter and his staff for their hospitality, and, in all, it was an excellent night with family, friends and La Fée Verte at Black and Blue, and we were treated to a snow and sleet storm on the way home. Definitely not two-wheel weather, but certainly a place for a return visit on four wheels. And check out the rest of the evening's pics in the Gallery!