Apéritif
Par Laurie le 27 juin 2016, 17:41 - French cuisine - Lien permanent
So, let's tackle the first question I've been asked multiple times: How do we not starve until actual dinner is served? We have an apéritif. So let's start with that and then we'll move on to the Entrées (which are Starters), the main dish (made of meat or fish and vegetables), cheese (you'll have to tackle this one on your own but know that we normally serve 3 different types of cheese with bread, wine and a green salad) and finally, oh joy, dessert!
You can have a real easy-peasy French-looking apéritif - or Apéro as we call it - with stuff you find in your all-American market. Usually, people settle around the coffee table and drink champagne on special occasions (like Xmas or New Year's Eve or birthdays and anniversaries...) or are offered a choice of whisky, port wine, martini, moscato or home-made cocktails. We set small dishes of peanuts, crackers, small pieces of pizza, cherry tomatoes, toasts with salty spreads like tarama, pâté, you name it... any type of finger food you or your guests like and then, everyone digs in.
Here's one thing that is popular in France and looks enticing on your table.
Verrines
A verrine is a small glass or plastic container filled in layers in a vertical manner. It's easy to make and can be quite dashing. You can also use bigger proportions to make a starter. The same principal applies for those served for dessert or if you invite you're friends or neighbors over for a café gourmand. We use small forks to eat the apéritif and small spoon for dessert. The one I'm describing here is inspired by our proximity to Spain and made with chorizo, cucumber and green apples.
Verrine à l'espagnole
bottom: a mixture of green apples and cucumbers, diced mixed with salt, pepper, olive oil and chopped chives
top: chorizo (any spicy sausage will do) diced and cooked for 5 minutes in sour cream, garlic and paprika
Home-made cocktails
You must have your own recipes of home-made cocktails so be creative! Here's one though that is served in restaurants and when we have large gatherings. It's called the Kir.
Use some white wine like a Chardonnay and some fruit cordial or liqueur. Peach, blackcurrant or any red fruit will do. If you don't find any, make your own by making some fresh fruit juice out of frozen or fresh fruit. It'll be even tastier.
When you use champagne instead of wine, it's called a Kir Royal and if you use cider, it'll be called a Kir Breton as Brittany or Bretagne in French is where cider originally comes from in France.