What Is A French Apéro, And How To Host The Perfect One!

The whole event of drinking an apéritif, visiting, and relaxing, is known as an Apéro. So, for example, you would go to someone’s house for an Apéro, and the apéritif, is only part of it.

Just in case you don’t know, an apéritif is an alcoholic beverage that is served prior to dinner, to stimulate the taste buds, and the appetite for the upcoming meal.

The French wouldn’t dream of having dinner guests over, without first offering an apéritif.

It is also common for them to meet at cafés in the evening, to enjoy a little relaxing, and company before going home for dinner. It is ingrained in French living.

It is typically served with a salty snack, like nuts, crackers, or olives. But, the point is not to get full before dinner, so just a small assortment of snacks will do.

As a kid, I remember this ritualistic time of day. I would sip on my sirop de fraise and watch, as my grandmother would pull out all of the bottles of apéritifs, and all of the various glasses for serving.

She would then pull out an assortment of simple salty snacks that she had in the placard, and place them in little bowls at the table.

Each of the adults would make their choice, and enjoy a small glass, while they relaxed, and enjoyed one another’s company, before dinner.

Now that I am an adult, I am able to join in the tastings, and the conversations surrounding them. It is such a joy, as the conversation usually involves discussing the different apéritifs served, and their origins.

Over the years, I’ve developed a list of my top five.

Muscat

This is my number one pick. It is a sweet, fortified wine that is yellow in color. It is meant to be sipped, and pairs well with salted nuts.

Muscat is usually served chilled, in a small glass, about one third full.

Ricard

Ricard is quintessentially french, and it is typically the men in my family who choose this one.

It is an anise and licorice flavored spirit, that is mixed with water, prior to serving. This one is great to have on a hot day, and pairs well with olives.

To serve Ricard, pour a small amount of Ricard in a glass, and serve it with a carafe of ice cold water.

To get an idea of the ratios, you’ll want to mix 1 part Ricard, with 5 parts cold water.

You can serve this over ice, in a tall or short glass.

Banyuls

This one is a sweet, fortified red wine, that is made in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France.

It got its name from the coastal town, Banyuls-sur-Mer, where it originated.

It is sometime referred to as the French cousin the the Spanish or Portuguese port wine. But, this particular wine is made exclusively in France.

Banyuls is best served slightly chilled, and in a small wine glass.

Kir

Kir is a popular apéritif in France. It is actually a mixture of two things, Crème de cassis, and dry white wine.

Crème de cassis is a sweet, dark liqueur, made from black currants.

A Kir can also be made with other fruit liqueurs, but cassis is the most traditional.

To make a Kir, mix 9 parts white wine, with one part creme de cassis.

This apéritif is typically served in a wine glass.

Champagne

This is a classic choice, especially if you are celebrating a special occasion. Champagne is a great apéritif on its own, but the French will also mix it with Crème de cassis, to make a Kir Royale.

Champagne is served slightly chilled in a flute or coupe glass.

Make it a part of your day

You may have to visit a specialty wine store to get some of these, but, it is really worth it! If you don’t have access to a specialty store, you can order some of these online.

Some people might equate this to the American “happy hour” or “cocktail hour.” But, in my opinion, those things are more focused around the drinks, while an Apéro is more about visiting with the people at the table. It represents the essence of French living.

Also, don’t stress too much about serving these in the “appropriate” glasses. This is about relaxing, and enjoying the company of your friends and family. There has been more than one occasion that we used plain old drinking glasses to serve everyone.

There is nothing better than inviting friends over for un petit Apéro in the evening. Adopting this ritual, as I call it, is an easy way to add a little French living to your life, without even leaving your house.