Two years ago, my then boyfriend, now fiancée took me to Paris—I hadn’t been back since living in Europe for four years in my early twenties. We went from café to café, drank sweet Muscat wine and, took long walks across the boulevards. We had such a good time, we vowed to bring a little of it home with us. On the plane home, we made a list of all the things that had us swooning over Paris and how we could include some of these joie-de vivre habits and attitudes in our own life.
For those who have ever felt the magic of a few days spent in Paris or Berlin, you know what I am talking about.
The aperitif. This was one of the first enjoy-your-life-more lessons I learned in France. Why wait for dinner to toast the end of the work day or start of the weekend?
The French get started at 5ish, or any time one to two hours before dinner. Several choices of drink are put out casually on a table, along with small bowls filled with inexpensive snacks like mixed nuts or chips (in these health conscious days you can sub in steamed edamame or raw almonds). Sometimes neighbors or friends are invited over—but it can also be just for your immediate family. What’s nice about the aperitif (which you’ll have to train your friends on) is that it’s understood it’s only for a limited period of time. You’re not inviting anyone to dinner or committing to an all night affair—just 45 minutes to an hour of friendly conversation, a small cocktail and a great way to warm up to the evening. Then, everyone’s on their way. It’s a very civilized way of enjoying a little shared time and drink.
Here are some tips to bringing the aperitif into your home:
- Keep a few light cocktail choices on hand—if you prefer to start simple with just beer and wine, do that. Or if you’re really aiming to go Eurostyle, pull out the champagne and Crème de Cassis to make a French favorite, the Kir Royale. (My aperitif drink of choice is chilled Muscat wine, although it’s often considered a dessert wine, it’s actually a delicious flavor to indulge in, if not awaken your palette). For more authentic ideas, check out this list.
- Serve wine/cocktails in small, appetizing glasses—it feels celebratory and the point is not to get tanked before dinner.
- Have a couple of snacks to choose from such as: Cashews, almonds, mixed nuts; Kettle potato chips or pretzels; olives; steamed or shelled edamame; Spanikopita, Trader Joe's pastry bites or other assorted frozen appetizers, there are many varieties available, just throw in oven and serve
Once you’ve got the guests over and the snacks under control, gather in a comfortable area of your house--on the sofa, around the bar, on the balcony, in the garden and voila, life is sweet.
Next blog: How to celebrate your birthday with as much class as the Germans do.
