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Post by roundtowngirl on Sept 20, 2007 17:27:48 GMT -5
I am looking over some of the menus at some of the nicer restaurants that we would like to try while in the city and I have a question about aperitifs. First off...let me apologize for my lack of knowledge about FINE dining Where I live the waiter asks us for our drink order, brings back our drinks and then wants our order (appetizers and entree). I am wondering do I order my aperitif like I would a before dinner cocktail and am I able to enjoy my aperitif and that wonderful French bread while I am looking over the menu? Is it acceptable to have an aperitif and then order wine with dinner? Does anyone have a favorite aperitif? I am seeing "kir" listed. I've never tried one, but I'm game!
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Sept 20, 2007 19:17:37 GMT -5
The custom will depend on where you are dining, but in some places I have been, you have a drink before you go to your table and you look over the menu while having your drink. Your order is taken, and a little later you are brought to your table. It certainly is acceptable (indeed, often it is expected!) that you will have wine with dinner, as well as an aperitif.
And for starters, nothing ever beats champagne, in my book!
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les
Full Member
C'est si bon....
Posts: 163
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Post by les on Sept 20, 2007 21:29:22 GMT -5
When you are seated they will usually ask if you would like an aperitif, while you look over the menu, etc. THe bread doesn't usually appear until dinner, but at a good restaurant they will have yummy snacks to go with the aperitif.
I like Kir Royal (cassis with champagne) or a "coupe de champagne" as an apero.
Les
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Post by Anne on Sept 21, 2007 1:26:07 GMT -5
Many restaurants actually have an "apéritif maison", which means their special own apéritif . Ask the waiter what their apéritif maison is and he will describe it for you . Often enough it is a kind of kir, but with something different to make it taste "special" . If you like perfumed and slightly sweet white wine, you can ask for a glass of muscat d'Alsace .
And yes, the bread doesn't usually appear until at least after you've ordered your dinner .
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Post by iank9 on Sept 21, 2007 2:02:31 GMT -5
Hi,
Dependant on restaurant, we may have a Kir Royale, a Bellini (Champagne and peach), a glass of champagne.
I sometimes have a small glass of Hoegarden topped with a slice of lemon, or a dark beer (Alsace or Belgian), and once in a small restaurant outside of Honfleur, a trou normande, a calvados (or can be a calvados sorbet) to begin, and then between courses, to "make a hole" for the next offering! - and a taxi to our auberge!
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Post by Happygoin on Sept 21, 2007 8:43:31 GMT -5
This is curious for me. I always thought that ordering a Kir or Kir Royale instantly pegged you as a tourist. Not that I care, I love a Kir Royale, but it's true that the French do drink these then?
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Post by Truffaut on Sept 21, 2007 9:39:27 GMT -5
Kir (and royale) are most definitely not touristy drinks, but a lot of tourists order them because they're easy to pronounce!
With the exception of champagne, which I believe should be drunk liberally from the time one gets out of bed until the time one goes to bed, I prefer an apéritif that's a little herbal or bitter instead of a sweet one--something like a vermouth, pastis, or campari. Once you're in the swing of things, though, there are lots of very interesting variations like a "perroquet vert" (anise liqueur with mint syrup).
With the exception of a "trou Normand" served between courses, one really doesn't drink alcohol except wine (or maybe beer) with foods. After drinks are generally heavier liqueurs.
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Post by geordy on Sept 21, 2007 10:39:40 GMT -5
Looks good Gitte, and like a nice cold beer would go well.
Funny, before I went to Paris I asked what orgeat was..I had read someone order it in a book. Down the block from our hotel was a Med/middle Eastern grocery and what was in the window..Orgeat syrup!!
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Post by Truffaut on Sept 22, 2007 6:49:34 GMT -5
Gitte, I meant that the French don't generally drink alcohol with food except for wine and, occasionally, beer! Danes will use any excuse to drink. You have to to keep warm, since you're stuck jutting out into the ocean in the north!
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Post by sistereurope on Sept 22, 2007 8:15:03 GMT -5
Hey T...what's my excuse??! ;D
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diz
New Member
Posts: 9
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Post by diz on Oct 20, 2007 7:12:04 GMT -5
I lurk here occasionally, we're just back from a brief trip to Paris and we had some aperitifs Amongst others, I was recommended white 'Lillet', and I've just been to their website which has loads of cocktails listed ... though you have to give your date of birth to log in www.lillet.fr/
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Post by trechic on Oct 20, 2007 7:41:29 GMT -5
Lillet over a little ice with an orange slice on top!! Love it!! A client of mine gave me a bottle for a Xmas present several years ago. I have served it to guests to try ... but no one seems to enjoy it as much as I do. I feel so "elegant" when I am drinking it!!!!
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Post by trechic on Oct 20, 2007 7:52:14 GMT -5
Diz...I just went to their site and ordered one of those posters for my kitchen! It's perfect! Thanks for sharing this with us!
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Post by Jody on Oct 20, 2007 9:04:35 GMT -5
I always mean to try it, but I always forget Which do you prefer? I do like just chilled vermouth for an aperitif so I guess I'd like this too.
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diz
New Member
Posts: 9
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Post by diz on Oct 20, 2007 9:30:35 GMT -5
I'd actually asked for pineau des charentes, but they didn't have it, so the waiter said he'd recommend this and brought the bottle to the table for me to try. I was surprised it was quite fruity, as I'd been expecting sherry taste (I was thinking of asking for port as an alternative). He just served it straight in the glass - which was fine by me - but I might try some of the variants off the website. Ah next time we passed a Nicolas we somehow ended up buying a bottle to bring back
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Post by cigalechanta on Nov 6, 2007 13:06:13 GMT -5
my favorite in Paris is a suze. If you don't like Campari, you won't like it. It's a gentian based drink. In Provence I drink Pastis. My favorite is Pastis 51
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