To truly understand how wacky and cool the USB Absinthe Spoon is, you have to know two things: what absinthe is, and what absinthe spoons are. First, absinthe is a highly alcoholic drink, traditionally made with wormwood, anise, and other herbs. The drink was popular with artists in the late 19th century (although it saw a resurgence in the 1990s), and some versions are hallucinogenic. It tastes vaguely licorice-like. Absinthe originated as a medicinal elixir, but because of its high alcohol content it was usually diluted with cold water in order to make it easier to drink and to mute the strong taste. That's where absinthe spoons come in.

The spoons are usually slotted; a cube or lump of sugar is placed on the spoon and water poured over it. The ritual preparation of the drink is key to enjoying it, and the spoons themselves can be incredibly elaborate and are often hand-crafted.

The delightfully absurd USB Absinthe Spoon functions no real purpose when it's connected to a computer, but it's made quite a splash anyway. Its creators have invited comments on their site from anyone who wants one, and the person (or people, now that they've had such a tremendous response) who makes the best case for owning it will win it. So far, 454 people want the spoon enough to provide a reason; a larger run of the already popular spoons is in the making.

Post by Alan Henry