Pastis- A French Tradition

drinking.com/files/2009/02/pastis_smallest.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="266" />Like black licorice? How about black jellybeans? Do you like to sample different culturally significant foods and beverages? Maybe enjoy what the French refer to as an “appetizer drink”? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you definitely need to try a cool glass of Pastis.

Pastis is a traditional French aperitif, or before dinner drink. It’s also the national drink of France. This drink is meant to stimulate a person’s appetite before the meal and encourage healthy digestion. French Pastis’ became very popular after Absinthe was banned there in 1915. The drink itself is usually diluted with water about 5:1 and has a uniquely licorice or anise flavor similar to absinthe. Most French bars and restaurants serve the greenish yellow drink in its most common form, either from a Ricard or Anilou bottle. On my last trip to France I was hard-pressed to find a drinking establishment in Paris or Lyon that did not serve it. Pastis is almost always consumed in small amounts before any large, traditional, or multi-course French meal.

Over 130 million liters of Pastis are consumed each year, making it one of the most well liked alcoholic beverages in France and even Europe. The experience of consuming the drink can be vary quite a bit, depending on the company you keep. The proper or most traditional way to drink it is diluted with water and without ice. Although many people will drink it straight or with ice at the bar or in order to fully enjoy this liqueur.

I have found this beverage to live up to its reputation. It’s an excellent alternative to the wormwood infused Absinthe and far less volatile in terms of side-effects and resulting feelings of being drunk or in an altered state. Also, the taste is not as harsh and it goes down fairly smooth leaving no burning feeling in your mouth, throat, or stomach. I would equate this drink with something like Southern Comfort or another American imbibe that has traditionally been intended to be sipped, slowly enjoyed, or just plain consumed in moderation either before or after a meal.

I’m not sure about the availability of this drink in the US. I’ve never seen it at a bar or restaurant. There are probably some specialty liquor stores or bottle shops that carry it but again, I have yet to find it here in the States.

I’ve had really good luck pairing this drink with desserts believe it or not, since it’s intended to be a pre-dinner drink. Pastis goes great with vanilla ice cream or even brownies. The dessert that you pair with it needs to be a simple, singular flavor. Otherwise the Pastis will overpower the food and the experience will not be enjoyable. It would be a great addition to the collection of any Francophile’s home bar or liquor cabinet. It’s easy to impress your guests with a drink like Pastis because enjoying a drink, as an appetizer is a uniquely un-American experience. In a place where people can enjoy cheap, tasteless domestic beer with their meals, Pastis is a welcome alternative and should be incorporated into any meal that is truly intended to exemplify a French experience.