France has long been known for its culinary know-how and delights, and that extends beyond food and wine to classic French cocktails. As they do with food and wine, the French know how to make a balanced and pleasing cocktail. These 9 classic French mixed drinks are sure to please your palate, whether you make them at home or order them in a bar.
Also if you are familiar with traveling in France, I am sure that you have experienced the traditional “apero” time (nickname for “apéritif” = drinks before lunch or dinner). This is a very traditional and festive time for most French people and all over the world, and the aperitif is considered a worthy representative of French savoir-vivre. Read our previous article on the seven forgotten yet delicious aperitifs.
The French 75 is light, aromatic… an effervescent cocktail is the perfect balance of Champagne… lemon juice and aromatic dry gin. Keep it super French by using a French gin, such as Citadelle and an affordable French Champagne, such as Veuve Clicquot yellow label brut. Use a Champagne you’d drink by itself, but don’t use a super expensive sparkling wine – save that for sipping on its own.
The 1789 was invented in Paris as a nod to the year the Bastille was stormed. It is a cocktail filled with classic French ingredients including Bonal Quina, a French apéritif wine, and Lillet Blanc, a French aromatized wine. Make it completely French by choosing a French whiskey, such as Bastille whiskey.
The Between the Sheets… a provocative take on Harry MacElhone’s classic Sidecar from Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. An extra dose of rum will transport you to the early 1930s. The Between the Sheets is a cocktail composed of white rum, cognac, triple sec, and lemon juice.
The Bloody Mary is a cocktail more or less strongly spiced and spiced according to taste, based on vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice and spices such as chili, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, celery salt …
“Bloody Mary” is the literal translation of this cocktail invented in 1921 by the barman of Harry’s bar who initially baptized it with the name of “Bucket of blood”. Yet this cocktail is very French, and even Parisian. It is even said that it was a tribute to actor Roy Barton. The Bloody Mary could take its name from Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII, a bloodthirsty queen who reestablished Catholicism by executing opponents. Others see it as a nod to pirate Mary Read. Some even say that Ernest Hemingway would be no stranger to the baptismal name of this cocktail: he feared the wrath of his wife Mary Welsh.
Kir Royal is a French cocktail consisting of crème de cassis and Champagne. It is a modern version of traditional Kir which is made with crème de cassis and white wine. Just like regular Kir, the Royale variety is also served in a flute glass without garnishes, usually as an apéritif. If the cocktail is made with raspberry liqueur instead of crème de cassis, it is then called Kir Impérial. A must classic French cocktails to try.
The Rose cocktail was invented in Paris in the 1920s. It’s an aromatic pink cocktail that’s a sweet, cherry flavored variation on a classic martini. It uses French ingredients including dry vermouth, kirsch (cherry brandy) and dry gin.
There are several different recipes for French martinis, and all have their merits. The classic is made with pineapple juice, Chambord, vermouth, and vodka or dry gin. The ingredients are shaken with ice and served straight up in a chilled martini glass. Garnish isn’t necessary, but a lemon twist adds an elegant touch. The result is a sweet and aromatic French cocktail.
French Connection is a classic French cocktail made with a combination of only two ingredients – equal parts cognac and amaretto. In order to prepare it, the ingredients are poured into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice cubes.
Mimosa is a classic breakfast cocktail that transforms a simple morning meal into a decadent event… a must classic French cocktails to try. The cocktail is made with freshly squeezed orange juice and Champagne or any dry sparkling wine. To prepare it, orange juice is poured into a champagne flute, and it is then topped with Champagne or sparkling wine.
