The best way to appear French at a dinner party is offer your guests an apéritif (AH-pear-a-teef), that is, a pre-dinner cocktail. The classic French apéritif is a Kir, a meeting of blackcurrant liqueur and dry white wine produced in Burgundy.
How to make Kir:
1/5 Crème de Cassis (blackcurrant liqueur)
4/5 dry white wine (such as Chablis)
Pour the crème de cassis in the bottom of the glass and slowly pour the white wine on top, creating an ombré color effect.
A variation on the Kir is the possibly more popular Kir Royale, reserved mostly for special occasions. The Kir Royale uses Champagne in lieu of white wine and gives the sweet cocktail a bit of effervescence. The carbonation typically forces the creme de cassis to mix completely with the drink, giving it a ruby color.
What’s your favorite apéritif? Do you like using wine in cocktails? Let me know in the comments!