K is for Kir

French food alphabet advent calendar

Welcome to my French Food Alphabet Advent Calendar. Between now and Christmas Day I will be working my way through a selection of delicious food posts; some will be regional specialities, some are my personal favourite foods, some posts will include recipes, but all will be linked to French food and drink. I hope you enjoy your virtual tastings.

It’s the 11^th December and K is for Kir.

Kir is an aperitif drink made by mixing white wine with a fruit liqueur, most usually crème de cassis (black current liqueur). A Kir Royalle is when Champagne or sparkling wine is used giving a sweet, bubbly glass full of fun and celebration. I am quite partial to a glass or two, especially when served with good company during the summer months, but be warned. At village gatherings a killer Kir is often served, this is a combination of (inexpensive) white sparkling wine with a rather large dose of some very sweet, very alcoholic peachy stuff. I have learned, from painful experience, that this is to be avoided at all costs if dignity is to be maintained. For me the sweet, fruity flavours combined with the bubbles make it a very drinkable tipple that oddly (as it contains wine and liqueur) doesn’t seem to be very alcoholic, until you try to walk home. Cheers! Santé!

ps I really had to trawl the archives to find a Kir photo to use today. In true #ThrowBackThursday style the one above is from my birthday in 2007.

If you have missed my previous advent posts you can catch up by clicking on the letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J. Don’t forget to join me tomorrow for the letter L and a delicious winter slow cooker recipe.