L'Apéro: A Guide to the French Aperitif Hour

In its later years, the bar at The Surrey ran an afternoon "L'Apéro" hour, inviting guests to "join in on the French aperitif lifestyle" with spritzes, Suze and tonic, light wine and small plates. It was a smart idea, because the aperitif is one of the most civilized drinking habits in the world, and it suits cocktail bars perfectly.

What an aperitif is for

The word comes from the Latin aperire, to open. An aperitif is meant to open the appetite. The best aperitif drinks share three qualities: they are relatively low in alcohol, they are dry or bitter rather than sweet, and they are refreshing. Bitterness in particular stimulates the palate and makes you hungry. That is why so many classic aperitifs are flavored with gentian, quinine, wormwood or bitter orange.

L'apéro is also a social ritual. In France it can be a single glass on a café terrace, or it can stretch into an apéro dînatoire, where the snacks gradually become dinner.

The classic drinks

Vermouth

Dry French vermouth or sweet red vermouth, served chilled, on ice or with a splash of soda and a twist. Vermouth is aromatized, fortified wine, and it is the backbone of the aperitif tradition. See our vermouth guide for styles and storage.

Suze and other gentian liqueurs

Suze, a bright yellow liqueur made from gentian root, was created in France at the end of the nineteenth century. It is sharply bitter and earthy. Suze and tonic, with plenty of ice and a slice of lemon or grapefruit, is one of the best aperitifs you can make. Adding a little dry vermouth or fino sherry gives it more depth.

Lillet and quinquinas

Lillet Blanc, from the Bordeaux region, is a wine-based aperitif flavored with citrus and quinine. Serve it cold over ice with orange, or in a Lillet tonic. It is also a key ingredient in the Vesper.

Pastis

The anise-flavored spirit of the south, especially Marseille. Pour a measure into a glass, add five parts cold water and watch it turn cloudy. Add ice afterward, never before, or the anise oils can crystallize.

Kir

White wine, traditionally Aligoté from Burgundy, with a little crème de cassis. Made with Champagne it becomes a Kir Royal.

The spritz

Strictly speaking the spritz is Italian, but it has become an aperitif staple everywhere. Use three parts sparkling wine, two parts bitter aperitif liqueur and a splash of soda over plenty of ice.

What to eat

Apéro food should be salty, simple and eaten with your fingers. The salt encourages you to sip and the fat softens the bitterness of the drinks.

• Olives, marinated or plain.
• Radishes with butter and flaky salt.
• Saucisson, sliced thin.
• Gougères, small cheese choux puffs.
• Tapenade or anchoïade on toast.
• Salted almonds or crisps.
• A piece of hard cheese such as Comté.

For more ideas on small plates that work with drinks, see our bar food guide.

How to host l'apéro at home

1. Offer two or three drinks, not ten. A bitter option, a wine-based option and something without alcohol.
2. Keep everything cold. Chill glasses, vermouth, wine and tonic in advance.
3. Use plenty of ice. Large cubes keep low-alcohol drinks from going flat quickly. Our ice guide explains why.
4. Set out the food before guests arrive. Nothing should need cooking.
5. Keep it short. An hour, maybe ninety minutes. The aperitif is a beginning, not an evening.

A short glossary

Drink	What it is	How to serve
Pastis	Anise-flavored spirit from Marseille	One part pastis, five parts cold water, ice added after.
Kir	White wine with crème de cassis	About 10 ml cassis in a glass of dry white, traditionally Aligoté.
Kir royal	Champagne with cassis	As above, with Champagne or crémant.
Lillet	Aperitif wine from Podensac, near Bordeaux	On ice with an orange slice, or with tonic.
Suze	Gentian liqueur, bitter and earthy	With tonic, or in cocktails.
Vermouth	Aromatized fortified wine	On ice with a twist, or with soda.
Pineau des Charentes	Grape juice fortified with cognac	Well chilled, neat.

Gentian, the great aperitif bitter

Gentian root has been used for centuries in European bitters and liqueurs. Its sharp, earthy bitterness stimulates the appetite, which is exactly what an aperitif is meant to do. In France, Suze, Salers and Avèze are the best-known gentian liqueurs. Suze in particular has become a favorite of bartenders, who use it as a bitter, yellow-gold alternative to Campari.

The spritz and its cousins

The spritz is Italian rather than French, born in the Veneto, but it has become the default early evening drink across much of Europe. The classic ratio is three parts prosecco, two parts bitter aperitivo such as Aperol and one part soda, over plenty of ice with an orange slice. For a more French version, use a dry white wine or crémant with Lillet or Suze.

Common mistakes

• Serving heavy drinks. An aperitif should open the appetite, not close it. Keep alcohol and sugar moderate.
• Too much food. Salty, simple snacks are the point. A four-course spread before dinner defeats it.
• Warm bottles. Vermouth, Lillet and wine-based aperitifs must be cold.

A simple aperitif at home

For four people, chill a bottle of dry white vermouth or Lillet, a bottle of tonic and a bottle of crémant. Put out green olives, salted almonds, radishes with butter and salt, and a little saucisson. Offer each guest a choice of a vermouth tonic, a kir royal or a glass of wine. It takes ten minutes to prepare and it is exactly how many French families start a weekend evening.

An easy house aperitif

If you want one recipe to start with, try this: 45 ml Suze, 15 ml dry vermouth and 90 ml chilled tonic water over ice in a highball glass, garnished with a grapefruit twist. It is bitter, dry, bright and very low effort, exactly what the hour before dinner should be.

Sources and further reading

• Apéritif and digestif (Wikipedia)
• Suze (Wikipedia)
• Lillet (Wikipedia)
• Aperol spritz (Wikipedia)