The 100th Tour de France race kicks off today in Porto-Vecchio and riders will travel well over 2,000 miles by the time it ends on July 21. We admire the pros that are able to complete the race (legally), but while they sweat and persevere through tough conditions, we think we’ll have a drink or two instead.
France is like a drinking playground; But a few of their cocktails and liqueurs haven’t hit it big in the United States. While you can find a recipe or a random restaurant/bar that will have a French cocktail on their menu, it can be a little tough to track them down. These are a few of our favorite French liqueurs and cocktails that we wish would become more popular in the United States:
Kir Royale
Kir Royale, the fancier cousin of Kir, is made with Champagne and black currant liqueur. The wine cocktail is reserved for special occasions in its native France but we wouldn’t mind if it made its way stateside. Anything that involves champagne is a winner to us.
Pastis
This is an anise-flavored spirit with hints of licorice root. It’s one of the most popular beverages in France, especially in the southeastern region. It’s generally served cold and people either add ice or cold spring water to dilute it a bit.
Chartreuse
Chartreuse is made from distilled alcohol aged with 130 herbal extracts. It has been made by the Carthusian Monks since the 1740s and it continues to age and improve inside the bottle. We definitely need some of that in our lives.
French Sidecar
This drink was supposedly invented at the Ritz Hotel in Paris shortly after the end of World War I. It’s made with equal parts cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice – this is definitely one you could make at home to celebrate the Tour de France today.
What will you be drinking today?