APEROS

[hakunamatata]

Just a quick question - what is the ideal time of day to serve aperos? Can I do it say at mid-day (its a week-end) or is it better around 5ish?

[velcorin]

Need a bit more info............are the guests family, work colleagues, neighbours, acquitances? Nationality? Saturday or Sunday, as you only do aperitifs on a Sunday with family at lunchtime (almost makes the MiL's cooking taste OK if we get p*ssed first[:D] )

We do Saturday lunchtime with family or work colleagues, 12 start. we'd do neighbours and acquitances in the evening, 5 start. As said family only at Sunday lunchtime. Sunday evening for anybody else. English people won't understand the rules, so you could get away with any day or time. Get the Apericube and Ritz crackers sorted, some cassis, white plonk, whisky and pastis and you're away.

[Patf]

I thought you meant the mass drinks parties which are being held all over France, with thousands of young people getting inebriated. In various big cities.

Organised on Facebook evidently, and they haven't been banned yet.

[just john]

[quote user="velcorin"]  neighbours and acquitances in the evening, 5 start.  English people won't understand the rules, so you could get away with any day or time. Get the Apericube and Ritz crackers sorted, some cassis, white plonk, whisky and pastis and you're away.[/quote]

In our neck of the woods, our French neighbours have a weekend apero 11am, choice of Pineau, beer or Rose[:$]

[woolybanana]

Rose must be a very broad-minded girl!

[Gardengirl]

We've been invited to French neighbours' aperos before lunch on Sundays. We were amazed at the amount of food one lot set out; it turned out later that they were driving back to Paris, and that was to be their meal until the evening! We had booked lunch at a local restaurant, so didn't want to eat much, and felt we weren't doing it justice till we found that out!Mostly we all have aperos around 18.00 though; so not long to wait!  [:)]

[Swissie]

There is no 'one size' fits all - it depends on region, whether rural or town, age group and perhaps even, type of people (trying to avoid the word 'class').

Here in Central Eastern French rural mountains, it's either 11ish or 6ish. Rural folk here tend to eat at 12-12.30 and 6.30-7.00 - and would find later times would impinge too much on habits. In a town and with more 'professional' types, tend to be 1 hour or more later. So I'd ask a local person who knows the local habits, not to ruffle feathers.

Keep it simple - caviar canapés will cause derision (and perhaps jealousy) in France profonde. Bonne chance et ... santé!

[Frenchie]

Basically for me, apéritif is before the meal ...

11, 12, 12.30 

6.30   7     7.30 ...

[hakunamatata]

Thanks for all your help and no, I had not considered caviar!!!!!

[Iceni]

And I suppose that you won't be serving champagne either.

John

[hakunamatata]

Certainly not! Nowt wrong with a pint of bitter

[mint]

And where do you get a pint of bitter in France (and I do mean bitter and not lager)?[B]

[hakunamatata]

I get it from my dream machine but lets face it in this heat bitter is just a bit toooooo warm

[mint]

Well then, does your dream machine produce pickled eggs, pork scratchings and KP dry roasted?[:D]

[hakunamatata]

Of course it does and the pork pies are out of this world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mint]

In that case, you've got to have Colmans; the Dijon stuff really will not cut the mustard?

[Frenchie]

Qu'est ce que tu as contre notre bonne moutarde nationale toi?? [6]

[:D]

[hakunamatata]

Non Frenchie votre bonne moutarde nationale c'est tres acceptable mai avec les Pies de Pork Anglais Yuck!

[mint]

Frenchie, if it doesn't go up your nose, make you sneeze, bring water to your eyes, it's just not strong enough![:D]

[Frenchie]

[:D]

Aucune résistance ces anglais !!

[hakunamatata]

Now listen very carefully I will say this only once !!!!!!!!!!!!! Allo allo nous sommes le resistance

[Swissie]

BTW what is the local speciality in your part of France? Absinthe was invented here (the Swissi Jura)  and so was Pernod (Pernod production was later moved to Pontarlier 25) - so absinthe is still a favourite- and so is our dry white wine, served in small straight glasses.

[mint]

Look, Swissie, you nearly got me into trouble over your absinthe.

When I was in Kandesteg, I asked for an absinthe to drink to your health and the waitress was horrified and said it was illegal!

Here in the Charente, it's mostly pineau.  The commercial pineau, IMHO, is no different from cough medicine, is very sweet, has low alcoholic content and is not a fit drink for aperos  or at any time of day.

However, if you have a copin, as my neighbour does, who makes it extra strong with Cognac, then it's a very pleasant drink, especially if you have at least 2 glasses and do not literally "sip" it like you would sherry.  You need to take a nice, biggish mouthful and let the flavour swirl around your tongue before you swallow it and feel that glorious warmth building up in your tummy.

You could tell from the way I'm talking that I'm still on the wagon, can't you?[:D] 

[Swissie]

Yes, it WAS illegal but no longer as from February 1998!  But it is a local speciality and other regions haven't got a clue! Otherwise known as 'la Fée Verte'.

[Frenchie]

Sweet17 has a copain !! ?? !! [blink]

[:D]

[;-)]