French Café Classics
 

I'd love some food and drink suggestions of things that you enjoy when in a café. I'd like to stay away from the American brand soda with one ice cube. I can have that at home. I have tried Orangina soda and love it and I prefer still water over sparkling.

Some suggestions for the adventurous?

hot grog.

and menthe a l'eau - sweet mint drink mixed with water.

Hi Moldy!
I got into the habit this past March, of having a Kir every afternoon at the cafe across from our apt.
Sometimes we would stop in various cafes late in the afternoon and I would have a hot chocolate and pastry.
My fave cafe lunch is a Croque Madame and either coffee or Vitelle.

I love a kir-- crème de cassis and white wine. I prefer this to kir royale, with champagne, but either is great.

I also love Lemon Fanta, which I have seen in some but not all European countries, but not in the US.

Wow! So many quick replies. Thanks for helping me break out of my soda drinking shell!

I like a Lillet blanc (made in the Gironde area)as an aperitif, but not every place in France has it, which surprised me.

If you were really adventurous, you'd just choose something from the menu, even if you didn't know what it is.

grandmere, we drink Lillet Rouge here at home but I cannot find it in Blanc :(

Hi M,

Limonade soda with Creme de Menth

Pastis: Pernod or Ricard are widely available. It should come as a yellow liquid in a tall glass with a pitcher of cold water. You put some water in the liquor to taste. It turns white.

Very licorice.

((I))

Scarlett, we can get Lillet Blanc at a couple of our liquor stores in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I still haven't gotten over the happy shock of discovering it there.

Anselm

>>Author: Christina
Date: 06/06/2005, 02:10 pm
If you were really adventurous, you'd just choose something from the menu, even if you didn't know what it is.<<

Touché!

I'm adventurous but have limited time and financial resources.

Scarlett,

I also love Lillet, and have only ever had blanc. I can get it at my local grocery, but never new how lucky I was! Do you have New Seasons market near you? It's a wild oats chain.

Lillet Blanc is available at Beverages and More (aka Bevmo) in CA.

Anselm, then I guess we have to make a quick visit to Halifax!
:)
I am in the wilds of North Florida at the moment and one gourmet grocery has Lillet Rouge and I am counting myself lucky for that much!
Thank you, I am sure in Portland we will have more to choose from ((D))

Good suggestions--I like Lillet and kirs (royale or common) and eau a la menthe.

In cold weather, vin chaud (hot wine) with a cinnamon stick. In hot weather, citron presse (lemonade).

Also to add to the list of alcoholic beverages, I like drinking any of the muscats from various appellations (Beaumes de Venise, Rivesaultes, Lunel) as an aperitif.

Occasionally our larger liquor stores carry Lillet, and a couple of restaurants here in the 'Burgh serve it. But I was surprised to have a couple servers look at me strangely when I ordered it in France--once in Normandy, and once in Paris. Incroyable!

I prefer the blanc to the rouge.

I like a Suze in all seasons, also a Pineau but usually a pastis in summer.
Scarlett, you can order a white lillet on line

P.S. my favorite pastis in Henri Bardouin and second, Pastis 51.

And actually, the white is easier to find here; and you experience the opposite, Scarlett? We must all go to France and stock up!