I finally received my copy of “Drinking French,” by David Lebovitz. This beautiful book is filled with dreamy photographs of cafe culture in Paris. Lebovitz offers lessons on how to drink and behave in a French cafe. He also introduces us to wines, beers, coffee, aperitifs, liquors, and cocktails that tell the story of living in France and frequenting the cafes.
A day in Paris, as well as in other cities around the world, starts with the morning ritual of a cup of coffee. A “p’tit cafe,” a small black coffee or “un creme,” coffee with hot milk, are two of the many options that are available to begin the day.
Later in the day, also known as “l’heure de l’apero” or happy hour, it is customary to unwind and have a drink and perhaps a small snack before dinner. Lebovitz gives you insight into the endless list of French aperitifs with unfamiliar names such as “Suze,” “Cap Corse” and “Pineau des Charentes.” Many of these aperitifs have a bitter flavor or they are made with quinine. Thus the name aperitifs; a drink to stimulate the appetite and help with digestion.
I am starting with a basic cocktail from “Drinking French.”
The “Voila” is made with bourbon and tangerine juice. I actually used mandarin orange juice because I had a huge bag of ripe, sweet, and juicy mandarins. This is a refreshing cocktail to be enjoyed as an afternoon or evening drink.
All you need is a rocks or cocktail glass and a shaker. Juice the tangerines or mandarins. You will need 1.5 ounces of juice per cocktail. The ingredients are poured into the shaker and chilled. Use your favorite bourbon and a dash of Angostura bitters.
Pour the drink into an ice-filled glass, add a splash of sparkling wine or water if you wish, and garnish with an orange or mandarin wheel. Et voila….and cheers!
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