No. 12: Drinking through Apéritif by Rebekah Peppler
Plus a recipe for a perfectly balanced margarita
Salut, mes amis! We did some traveling this month, which meant less cooking/drinking at home. In fact, I only made four cocktails from Rebekah Peppler’s fabulous book, Apéritif—which should not be taken in any way as a reflection of the book itself, merely of my schedule. The drinks I did make, we LOVED. Low-ABV cocktails (and spirit-free cocktails) are having a moment, and Andrew and I were more than happy to embrace that trend in between the boozy wedding weekends we attended.
Because this month includes fewer recipe videos than usual, I’m also including my own recipe for our go-to margarita (scroll all the way down to find it). It’s a basic recipe, but after much trial and error, I believe I’ve found the perfect ratio for a tart, zingy, not-too-sweet margarita. Hope you can enjoy an icy one this July 4th weekend!
The High-Level
Rebekah Peppler is an American ex-pat living in Paris, and James Beard Award-nominated Apéritif is her first book. She went on to write the cookbook A Table, (published by the house I work at), and is in the process of writing her third cookbook, Le Sud, about the food of southern France. She has chic Parisian style, but her bubbly warmth stems from her Midwestern roots. (I met her very briefly at our office, where she was wearing the coolest all-white outfit that my colleagues and I raved about for days afterwards!)
Apéritif celebrates the French custom of having an apéritif, or light, low-ABV drink, before dinner to ready the body for the meal to come. Recipes are organized by season—or really, by temperature, with chapters on Warm, Hot, Cool, Cold. (E.g. if it’s warm out but too hot, have a refreshing AM/PM Sherry.) There are plenty of interesting tidbits about the history and origins of different drinks, and the photos instantly transport you to the banks of the Seine. Overall, it’s an elegant yet approachable book.
One random thing I loved
That this book goes beyond cocktails with easy recipes for snacky bites to enjoy with your pre-dinner drink. Think: gougeres, savory palmiers, potato chips, tapenade, and other dips. All those delectable noshes that pair perfectly with a light libation.
The Recipes
AM/PM Sherry: Our favorite, and possibly a new add to our regular rotation. Lillet, sherry, grapefruit—there’s nothing not to like.
Adonis: A slightly bitter apéritif with notes of orange. Go for it if you like a slightly acerbic drink. Andrew didn’t love this one, but I did!
Rose Sour: Dress up a glass of rosé with lemon, sugar, and egg whites, which add a foamy layer. Feels right for a summer’s eve.
Vermouth Olive: A nice alternative to a dirty martini that won’t leave you on the floor.
Best Ever Marg
Makes 2 cocktails
Tajin (optional)
Salt
2-3 Lime wedges
4 oz Casamigos tequila
2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1 oz Cointreau
Agave (optional)
Optional glass rim: On a plate wider than the rim of your rocks glasses, mix one part Tajin and one part salt. Run a lime wedge around the rim of both glasses, then dip the rims in the Tajin-salt mixture to coat.
In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, add the tequila, lime juice, Cointreau, and a tiny pinch of salt. If you like a sweeter margarita, or if your limes are sour, add a squeeze of agave to taste. Shake for 15-20 seconds until well-chilled. Add one large ice cube to each rocks glass, then strain the mixture into the glasses. Garnish each drink with a lime wedge, and enjoy!
Notes: While you can of course use another brand of tequila, I recommend Casamigos, which has the best flavor imo. Use the ripest, juiciest limes you can find; you don’t want them to be too sour. Use large ice cubes/spheres in your glasses to prevent the cocktail from getting overly diluted.
Wishing everyone a happy July 4th weekend!
xo,
Claire