WHAT’S IN AN APÉRITIF?
French people are all about aperitifs – known as apéro - with friends as the sun goes down. We have even talked about the importance of the ritual here. But what makes a great one? Let’s get into some specifics.
French Aperitif Ideas 1664 Blanc-style
When the sun starts to go down, especially when the weather is summery, the French love to enjoy l’apéro, aperitifs, with their closest friends. Think of it as after-work drinks – or the perfect prelude to dinner – but with seriously tasty accompaniments. It is France, after all. If the food’s not on, why bother? We took a poll among 1664 Blanc friends around us and here are some tried and true ideas.
APERITIF IDEAS
One man’s basics are another woman’s feast, but here are some ideas on what to include for a successful aperitif. Everyone agreed on chips – salty, crispy potato chips – but they all stipulated that (a) posh chips only and (b) you have to open a new bag each time. No ‘snap’, no go. Saucisse seche – sliced dried sausage – is another idea to must-have. “The peppery tang and slightly chewy texture are the perfect partners to a citrusy 1664 Blanc,” says one friend. “But it should be sliced thinly,” he adds, “otherwise it’s too overpowering.” He hails from the Pyrénées so he insists on saucisson from Béarn (you guessed it, locally made, and the birthplace of béarnaise sauce, for all you eggs benedict lovers).
DIVERGING THOUGHTS
From there, we ceased to have a straight line that all agreed to. One of our Blanc friends always makes a warm artichoke dip, the easy recipe* handed down from her grand-mère. Another likes to include a basket of raw vegetables with a homemade pesto-based hummus dip. Yet another insists that any crunchy salad is at home, taking the apéro into apero-as-dinner territory, which is always welcome because really, who wants to go home and cook afterward?
*Dip à l’artichaut aperitif recipe
- 180 g. artichoke hearts
- Half a lemon, juiced
- 1 garlic clove
- 75 g. grated parmesan
- Salt, pepper & nutmeg to taste
Instructions
Drain the artichoke hearts & whiz everything to together in a food processor until it is creamy and smooth.