Sipping an aperitif in a bistro is something many people associate with a visit to France, but which aperitif should you choose? Allow us to recommend kir, or for those in a romantic mood, kir royale. The first is a combination of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liquor of Burgundy) and white wine. The second mixes crème de cassis with champagne.
The drink was named after Felix Kir, the mayor of Dijon who popularised it after the end of the Second World War. After the hardship of occupation and war, Mayor Kir invited international guests to drink a toast to a brighter future with this excellent showcase for locally produced wine and liquor.
However, it took about 20 years before the cocktail began appearing on international menus. Kir became widely popular in the 1960s, with the royale version finding prominence a decade later.
In recent years, KIR has become a standard abbreviation in chat rooms for “keep it real” – a reminder to keep your feet on the ground and put things in perspective. Perhaps sipping a kir in a leisurely French bistro might help with that.
