French Drinks
Popular French drinks run the gamut from espresso in the early morning to a sip of brandy to finish the evening meal. In between there might be a bottle of sparkling water with lunch, a pastis in the lazy (and soon to become hazy) late afternoon, and a glass or two of good red wine with dinner. Le CaféFor most people in France the day begins with a hot drink. People do use the aptly named French press coffee pot, as well as other home brewing methods, but lots of people drink their coffee at the local bar/café standing at the counter reading the morning news or chatting with friends. Here you can order:
ApéritifMany people enjoy an apéritif, or before dinner drink in France. You might like to try a few of these French drinks: perhaps a pastis (France's version of licorice liquor) if you are in the south, a glass of white wine in a guinguette (outdoor café close to Paris), a Kir Royal (champagne and currant liqueur) in Monte Carlo, or a flute of sweet muscat at a waterfront café in Corsica (a personal favorite).
La Bière et le CidreFrance does make some of its own beer although it is not nearly as popular a drink as wine. French drinks also include cider which you will find in Normandy and other areas in the north of France.Le VinAnd of course one of the most popular French drinks is le vin, or wine. There are many French wine regions, each with its own distinctive wines and you could spend the rest of your life happily learning to appreciate each one. The French wine regions include:
Le DigestifAfter dinner some people enjoy a little something to help wash it all down. Personally I have always found the term digestif a misnomer. How could swallowing burning alcohol help anyone digest? French Liqueurs are often served at this time as well as eaux-de-vie, or brandies. Some well-known types of brandy in France are:
Soft DrinksWell if you have survived all of that, you might be wishing for something a little less strong the next day! As everywhere in the world you can have a Coke, just don't forget to call it a coca when you order. The French are even drinking decaffeinated and artificially sweetened sodas this days. Not necessarily progress!Drink syrups are extremely popular in France. You will find grenadine syrup and many other syrups, such as mint, fruit flavors, and even nut and almond flavors. MilkIf you buy milk in France you may be surprised to find it in non-refrigerated plastic bottles or cartons. Although you can find pasteurized milk, most of the milk in France is UHT (ultra haute température), or ultra high temperature treated. This gives the milk a shelf life of many months and is a great convenience to French shoppers who can stock up and avoid some of those last minute dashes to the grocery store. You will find that UHT milk has a slightly different taste than pasteurized.Eau
And finally there is water. The French, just like a lot of Europeans, have been drinking various bottled
mineral waters for years. There are dozens of popular brands include Badoit, Contrex, Evian, St. Yorre, and
Perrier. Each has a different taste. Some are carbonated to varying degrees and others not at all. Some have
a high mineral content and can be good sources of magnesium as well as calcium.
Whichever one of these French drinks you are enjoying when you raise your glass in a toast, why not try out a little French?
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Recommended SiteThere's more to life than French wine you know. . . there's Australian wine!
Check out Vinodiversity for a great read on wine and food. Darby knows how to enjoy a glass of wine wherever he is and can write about it with wit and enthusiasm. |
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should certainly be considered. This is a lovely book, not only a great source of cocktail recipes, but an invitaiton to enjoy the dreamy and relaxed atmosphere of far away Tahiti.
