COCKTAILS
Seasonal French Cocktails
Drinking with the Calendar
French drinking culture is deeply seasonal — the wines, spirits, and cocktails that feel right in July are not the same as those that suit a December evening. From the light, floral aperitifs of spring to the warming digestifs of winter, drinking with the seasons is one of the great pleasures of the French table.
RECIPES
The Recipes
Rosé Spritz (Spring/Summer)
Provence Rosé
INGREDIENTS
90ml dry Provence rosé, 60ml sparkling water, 15ml elderflower cordial, cucumber, ice
METHOD
Fill a wine glass with ice. Add rosé and elderflower. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with cucumber.
The taste of a Provençal summer — light, floral, and endlessly refreshing.
Beaujolais Nouveau Punch (Autumn)
Beaujolais Nouveau
INGREDIENTS
750ml Beaujolais Nouveau, 200ml cranberry juice, 100ml Cognac, orange slices, cinnamon
METHOD
Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl. Add ice. Garnish with orange slices and cinnamon sticks.
The third Thursday of November — Beaujolais Nouveau arrives, and France celebrates.
Vin Chaud (Winter)
Red Wine
INGREDIENTS
750ml red wine, 100ml Cognac, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 cloves, 1 orange, 50ml honey
METHOD
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Heat gently — do not boil. Strain and serve in mugs.
French mulled wine — warming, aromatic, and the taste of a winter market.
Champagne Cocktail (New Year)
Champagne
INGREDIENTS
1 sugar cube, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, 15ml Cognac, 120ml Champagne
METHOD
Place sugar cube in a flute. Add bitters. Pour Cognac. Top with Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.
The classic New Year's Eve drink — simple, elegant, and endlessly festive.
FROM THE JOURNAL