Aperitif: Recipes for Simple Pleasures in the French Style

by Georgeanne Brennan, Kathryn Kleinman (Photographer)

To the French, an aperitif is so much more than a cocktail. It is a rite by which family and friends pass from work to leisure while sipping a mild beverage, enjoying a few savory snacks, and engaging in lively conversation. Aperitif is a gorgeous celebration of a ritual we can now all enjoy. Illustrated with sumptuous photographs taken on location in France, this beautiful volume comes complete with more than fifty recipes for fruit wines, classic aperitifs, and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as the simple but sophisticated finger foods that accompany them. A gift of memories for those who love France and a taste of la bonne vie for those who have never visited, Aperitif is a passport to the glories of the French countryside and the time-honored traditions of its table.

144 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1997

About the author

Georgeanne Brennan, born and raised in Southern California, is the author of the James Beard Award winning cookbook, The Food and Flavors of Haute Provence, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals award for her book, Aperitif, among numerous others, including her best-selling memoir, A Pig in Provence, about her years raising goats and pigs and making cheese in France in the 1970s. She’s divided her life for many years between her modest home in Provence, where she learned to make French style aperitifs, and a small farm in Winters, CA. She co-founded the pioneering seed company, Le Marche Seeds International, an important source for emerging organic market growers, in the 1980s. In the 1990s she conducted week-long Culinary Vacations in Provence. In 2014 she founded the on-line store lavierustic.com. She and her work have been featured in numerous publications including the New York Times, Food and Wine Magazine, InStyle, Vogue and many others. She has a bachelor’s degree in History and English from San Diego State University and master’s degree in History from UC San Diego.

Reviews

[Pixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Georgeanne Brennan used to anchor the food section of the SF Chronicle, and I have always liked and respected her recipes and food writing. The copy of this book that I have is square, with a white cover and an old-timey design. Inside are beautiful photos, clear and well-organized info and recipes. The only one of many books with "aperitif" in the title (as far as I've seen) that has recipes for making vins maison (homemade aperitifs). If you start with the more recent, highly advertised titles, circle back to this one.

[Ele Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m developing a hobby :)

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lovely book, but rated as "okay" because there was no new information or recipes that I want to try. But I did enjoy flipping through.