L'Apéritif

Summer has zapped my brain. It’s been on hiatus since the beginning of June, which was a little tricky considering work at school didn't wrap up until the end of June. School in June - who ever thought that would be a good idea? Throughout the month of June kids disappeared from the classes like the Agatha Chrisy's party-goers in Ten Little Indians. They dropped off a few at a time, staring at the beginning of the month, until the last week when there were fewer than half remaining. The end of school was a joke for the professionals as well. Here was our chance to have lunch together, drink a pitcher of rosé, and then return to the classroom with a buzz and a nice sweaty sheen on our cheeks.

There are few things more important in the summer time in le sud de La France than drinking. L'apero - or the aperitif - is the French's favorite time of day for doing their favorite summer activity. L'apero begins when friends gather, usually around 7 pm. It can start early, but most people, having recently recovered from the wine at lunch, can wait until 7. This special time of day occurs before the meal, and the meal only begins once everyone has drunk their fill of alcohol,and eaten pistachios, olives, potato chips, and saucisson. And we have to eat these snacky delights, because if your skimp of the snacks, its hella hard to make it through all your drinks.

There are a few typical southern French apero beverages. I say typical, but without these few spirits, the French here in the south would be at a loss for words, and as sad as a farm of ripening escargots.

#1: Pastis. Pastis is a drink that comes from the south of France - the French's equivalent to Greece's Orzo - and tastes like black licorice at 45% alcohol. I never liked anything anise flavored, but I admit that this is growing on me. It is clear, until you add ice cold water, at which point it becomes milky white. Then you add one cube of ice. This is how the French (men) drink it. And boy, do men here love their pastis. For some, it’s as precious as any woman. There are two warring makers of Pastis - Ricard's and Le 51. Some people argue that Le 51 isn't real pastis, and you know what those people drink. If you are a sissy (moi), and pastis is just a little bit too horse tranquilizer-y, there are three other very popular and mostly respectable ways to drink pastis.

a: mauresque. Pastis, water, a splash of syrop d'orgeat (almond syrup)
b: tomate. Pastis, water, a splash of syrop de grenadine (grenadine)
c: perroquet. Pastis, water, a splash of syrop de menthe (mint)

I like the mauresque pretty well, but after once glass, I gotta move on to another apero choice.

#2: Whisky Coke. We all know what that is. This is for the folks who aren't as in love with pastis as they should be. It’s just as strong, so the whisky drinkers can keep up with their more traditional counter-parts. No one drinks plain old whisky.

#3: Kir. Properly chilled white wine with a splash of crème de cassis, a sweet, red alcohol syrup made from black currents. I had not discovered this delicious, fantastic, nearly perfect beverage until this spring. She, like a beautiful seductress, beckons to me and I can never say no. You see what has happened to my summer… No doubt this drink was developed to make boozing elegant and feminine.

#4: Rosé. The pink wine that we call rosé just like the French. It’s light and subtly sweet, and cool, produced right here from grapes grown right here. Oh, and all snobby wine drinkers listen up – the French drink their rosé with ice! It’s true. Whether you are at a friend’s house, or at a café, the wine will be served with a small metal bowl of ice-cubes, from which you are to help yourself with your fingers.

After you are sufficiently soused from the force of the apero, then you sit down to dinner. With real adults, the meal will usually get underway at 8 or 8:30. That way, the guests aren’t too drunk to enjoy their meal. With the younger French crowds, the apero goes on for hours and hours. People lose track of time and pour libations until nothing is left. These nights (usually weekends, I grant them that), the meal might not start until 10 or 11 pm easy. Keep in mind that the meal includes wine and wine and more wine.

Personal Side note: Imagine what happens to my French... well, one of two things. I either become a bilingual genius and the life of the party, or my contact lenses start to shrivel up on my eyeballs and all I can think about it how miserably late the French stay up.

My mom just spent a smashing month here with me in the region of Provence-Alps-Cote d'Azur. We rented a brand new bronzy-black Fiat Punto and zipped around from one adventure to the next with my Franco-American family here in Pertuis. We did a million things while she was here, but most consistently, we drank wine. On her last night, she told me that she drank as much wine in one month with me as she had in fifteen years. Aahh, to be French.