My sister makes a kir variation with creme de peche (peach) which is yummy.

I'm afraid that all Kir's variations are yummy...

Greetings and thanks to one and all...<BR>I definitely did not buy syrup. The bottle says 15% volume.<BR><BR>I'll have a party tonight..

Dear Oakglen:<BR><BR>How would a Chenin Blanc be with kir? Such as Dry Creek's dry CB or Vinum Cellar's Chard-no-way Chenin(a little sweeter)?<BR><BR>Thanks,Michelle

Hi Teesa and all: In Paris a couple of years ago, we had a kir with sautern - they actually brought the bottle out to show us as they mixed it. So yummy! Sautern is expensive, as I found out when I got home. But if you're willing to splurge, it's great.

You can make a wonderful dessert with creme de cassis and pears. <BR><BR>Choose pears that are not too ripe.<BR><BR>Peel and core the pears keeping the pears whole and the stalks on. Put the pears in a pan and cover with red wine and some sugar. Also zest and juice of an orange if desired. Simmer until pears are soft but not falling apart. Remove pears and cool. Reduce cooking liquor by about a half, then add cassis to taste (a small wineglass at least). Pour over the pears, and refrigerate a few hours or overnight, turning the pears so that they take on the rich red colour. Serve cold with whipped cream.

Hi Michelle Y: I think Chenin Blanc would do well if you tend to use a small amount of Cassis. We drink our Kir on the sweet side, like the French do. So I am always looking for super- dry &amp; sour wines! So far the Italian whites seem the best. I can't remember the name of the Burgundy white that was originally used; it was said to be so sour and dry that they had a hard time selling it. And I believe it was not Chardonay based. FYI: we find the Marie Brizzard Cassis de Bordeaux readily available here, priced reasonably and of good quality.

The varietal that is &quot;traditionally&quot; used for Kir is Aligote, which in most cases makes a wine pretty much as oakglen has described.

Actually, Aligote is quite pleasant, not too dry. <BR>It's a white wine we buy here on occasion.

I happened to see a recipe tonight that called for strawberries (cut in half, and sugared slightly to bring out the juice), put them in a wine glass or glass dessert dish and pour over some creme de cassis and some champagne. sounds yummy to me!

One thing I wouldn't try is mixing it with milk. I thought it might make a rather nice milkshake and, ok, the taste wasn't too bad, but I had to close my eyes to drink it because it immediately curdled the milk and turned it a vibrant Barbie-doll pink.

Kir Royales are usually made with champagne or sparkling wine and Chambourd, the raspberry liqueur. Kir is a traditional french apertif made with indifferent white wine and creme de cassis or any other fruit liqueur. I once gave a &quot;blue&quot; dinner as a fund raiser and we served kirs made with Myrtle, a long gone blueberry liqueur from Bonny Doon. They looked cool but blecch..you try to do a dinner with blue food. (G) <BR><BR>There is also a drink called Vermouth Cassis. A french bistro in Detroit (the long gone and lamented Ponchatrain Wine Cellars) used to serve them as they didn't have a liquor license. Dry vermouth and Cassis. It tasted like hell but I thought I was very sophisticated ordering them when I was young. Not much different the scary kiddie martinis that restaurants and &quot;martini&quot; bars offer now. I shudder at the thought of a &quot;sour apple martini&quot; Give me a kir anyday........LMF

I tell you, the people on this thread have a wealth of information...I have never heard of so many good ideas! Is kir a common after dinner drink in France?

I've always drunk it as a pre-meal apperitif when I've been in France. (But anytime in England!)

Aperitif &gt; Appetizer &gt; so naturally that's for before meal. Usually not after meal. After-meal would be digestif which is stronger alcohol like cognac or grappa.

Hike, I'm aware of the difference between an aperitif (sorry for the spelling error!) and a digestif. The apparent tautology was aimed at those who might not be. Thanks for clearing that up.

It is an apertif, something you drink before the meal like maybe a Campari but I often will have a kir as a drink stopping at a cafe when it's not too hot, otherwise, I would prefer a pastis on a hot day.

Xenos, you are welcome. And thank you for the term tautology (or tautologie in French.). Am happy to have learned a new word. did not know it either in English nor in French.