Drinking French: The Iconic Cocktails, Apéritifs, and Café Traditions of France, with 160 Recipes

by David Lebovitz, Ed Anderson (Photographer)

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL SPIRITED AWARD® WINNER • IACP AWARD FINALIST • The New York Times bestselling author of My Paris Kitchen serves up more than 160 recipes for trendy cocktails, quintessential apéritifs, café favorites, complementary snacks, and more .

Bestselling cookbook author, memoirist, and popular blogger David Lebovitz delves into the drinking culture of France in Drinking French . This beautifully photographed collection features 160 recipes for everything from coffee, hot chocolate, and tea to Kir and regional apéritifs, classic and modern cocktails from the hottest Paris bars, and creative infusions using fresh fruit and French liqueurs. And because the French can't imagine drinking without having something to eat alongside, David includes crispy, salty snacks to serve with your concoctions. Each recipe is accompanied by David's witty and informative stories about the ins and outs of life in France, as well as photographs taken on location in Paris and beyond.

Whether you have a trip to France booked and want to know what and where to drink, or just want to infuse your next get-together with a little French flair, this rich and revealing guide will make you the toast of the town.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Cocktails, Nonfiction, France, Food and Drink

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 3, 2020

About the author

David Lebovitz is a sought-after cooking instructor with an award-winning food blog (davidlebovitz.com). Trained as a pastry chef in France and Belgium, David worked at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California for twelve years. He now lives in Paris, France, where he leads culinary tours of the city.

Reviews

[J. Dotson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miraculous book: a must for any fan of France, its drinks and its food, and for anyone who likes a great read with gorgeous photos, no matter the subject.
As a longtime reader of David Lebovitz, I’m delighted to revisit his prose, his wit, and his considerable culinary skills. I don’t know how he does it, but Lebovitz once again makes me want to make everything in his book. What a treasure he is!
If you love books, good food and drink, and feeling as though you’re “traveling without moving” then you should buy this book. Maybe buy copies for friends too. They’ll thank you for it.
And I thank David Lebovitz for his charming words and inspiration.

[Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

During this period of social distancing and isolation, it’s a nice little tonic to have a fun book like this to browse, imagining yourself at a Parisian cafe or troquet (dive bar) and making yourself a little something to drink. Chef David Lebovitz writes in an engaging, witty way, making this compendium of French libations more than just a guidebook. Far from just discussing wine, Lebovitz discusses the history and customs of coffee drinking, tisanes, hot chocolates, and iced drinks, as well as the many regional French aperitifs from the common (vermouth) to the obscure (Maurin Quina), in addition to infusions and, of course, cocktails using French liquors like chartreuse. There’s even some recipes for some snacks and bar syrups. Along with the recipes and background info, the book is packed with plenty of interesting cultural tidbits about French life, cuisine, and visits to restaurants, distilleries, and other destinations in France.

I enjoyed making some spiced tangerine syrup and rosemary syrup, as well as a few cocktails like the evolved revolver and the voila, and am looking forward to the first rhubarb of spring to try making some rhubarb cordial. I’ve never been to France, but I feel like this may be the next best thing, at least until things get better. We can hope, right?

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book. Will purchase.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book showed up on my doorstep in early March. I had pre-ordered it and a good thing that I did because with the mayhem I may have forgotten to do so. I not only made drinks and "alcohol-infused projects" nearly every night from it, I also tuned in to David's daily apero hour. This book and his live instagram feed helped to keep me somewhat sane during the lockdown.

[Andy Quan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Lebovitz's blog and website, and his regular newsletter, having discovered them around the time that I was lucky enough to live in Paris for a few months of time, in two consecutive years. He was an indispensible source of advice for restaurants, bars, food stores and recipes (which I made in Australia, as we never had very big kitchens in our AirBNBs or rental apartments). Moreso, he imbues a sense of adventure, discovery and delight for what to discover in French eating and drinking.

As I've been making more cocktails lately, I ordered this book as soon as he announced it, and it arrived, fortuitously, not long before the COVID-19 lockdown. So, I've already been making various cocktails and drinks, including some homemade crème de cacao, and mixing up drinks with Lillet and St Germain Elderflower Liqueur. I found a bottle of Dubonnet, so that's the next ingredient on my list.

But it's far more than a recipe book. His writing style is so engaging, and each recipe is an opportunity to let us know something new about French drinking and cuisine, or the culture. It's all very romantic, and feels much more real (and authentic) than the whole genre of books about 'Living in Paris for a Year' or 'I fell in love with a Frenchman'. You really feel like you want to hang out and have a drink with him, and I felt terribly envy that I'm not in his home when he's serving up these drinks ... and snacks, as there's a lovely selection of recipes of food to match up with the drinks.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves Paris and France and anyone who likes a good cocktail. He's also stirring up cocktails online on Instagram (in lockdown and unable to do a book tour): I'll have to check it out.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by no means the first cocktail book that we own, and it is not the best cocktail book that we own, but it is the cocktail book that I bought during the pandemic that got our little speakeasy style of making elaborate and exceptional cocktails at home kick started. We are having several new cocktails a week these days, acquiring the necessary specialty liquors, making the simple syrups, and I bought 14 new kinds of glasses at the local consignment shop, and got three other style of glasses from my parents in their downsizing. It also bumped France to the top of the list for places to return to when the pandemic travel restrictions are in the rear window. So this book is worth it's weight in gold.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book! I love the blogger style notes with each recipe and the helpful page or two descriptions of cafe culture in France! I really did read the whole book! I bought the book because I love cafe culture and because of the authors delightful Instagram lives during quarantine! I’ve tried about 5 of the recipes so far. I particularly like the recipes for the different syrups (because if you buy them most have high fructose corn syrup in them so nice to be able to make at home) and the snack recipes. The drinks are amazing too just highlighting the “extras” that I think make the book extra special!

[Natalie Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book of recipes from hot chocolates to cocktails and a section on appetizers and syrups. Each recipe is accompanied by variations to the recipe, French culture references and history of the varied spirits (and their “cousins” from other countries). I can’t wait to make homemade marshmallows! As well, there is a listing of bars/distilleries he refers to in the book and resources as to where to buy spirits with their internet addresses.

[Dodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had the benefit of reading David Lebovitz's blog and a couple of his other books. Drinking French follows his life in Paris and experiments in the kitchen. Lebovitz writes clear recipes with descriptions of his techniques that lead to success. There is an abundance of recipes here with all sorts of beverages and a few snacks to accompany them. His lively accounts of various bars and shops and distilleries sustained my interest.

[Lorelee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of David Libowitz for years and a subscriber to his. So I was ready to like this book. I was delighted because I don't need to go to the liquor store and stock up on esoteric bottles of things I find I don't like and will never use! Of course, there are the basics but those are probably already in your cabinet! I love an apero hour, and I've made at least a dozen cocktails from this book - all fabulous!

[Susan White-Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, so many interesting stories about Paris, about drinks, about France in general, about the history of French liquors, about other countries, about cocktails....are you noticing the theme here?!?! But, really, I quite enjoyed the book and it has inspired me to try more types of drinks, and maybe even make some myself.

[Maria Cloos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Pleasure

Like anything written by this charming ex-pat, this book is informative, witty and entertaining! I’m always looking for ways to use up scraps (infusions) and for exciting cocktails and liquors to add to my home bar. I already picked up some of the recommendations at my local liquor store to begin drinking like the French!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books on cocktails: Death & Co., the Nomad Cocktail Book, the Cocktail Codex ... I have and regularly reference them all, but I don't think I've ever read a cocktail book that had so many recipes that I was immediately desperate to try on first read. If you are an amateur mixologist, Lebovitz's book is an absolutely essential addition to your bookshelf.

[Sharon Saxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many cooking books, many of the later recipes got too complex for me. But I did find some interesting information on the cafe life in Paris and some great recipes to try with book club this spring!

[Darine Choueiri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very refined book. Probably one of the most glamorous of David Lebovitz. Like all David's books you would want to read them and have them as much for the recipes as for the stories told with witt and humour. I am thrilled each time I receive one in my mailbox. Merci David!

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there’s a better way to spend cocktail hour than reading from Drinking French while sipping a French Manhattan and nibbling gougères, I don’t know what that is. Lebovitz is such a funny, generous writer, and he CARES about cocktails, desserts and France.

[Fiatgal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I own many, many, many cocktail books but this one is exceptional. Great writing and more importantly great cocktails that are a little off the beaten track. I love it when David adds his spin on a traditional cocktail too.

[Madeline Wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun cocktail book that made me wistful for paris (barf, i know) while stuck at home. some of the recipes are not super practical for me personally but as an amateur home bartender the rosemary gimlet absolutely knocked it out of the park

[Chris Quartly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book well enough, it's written in a style that puts you in France, rather than simply telling you about it. It's a little refreshing to read a book about alcohol and cocktails not written by someone specialised in the field, Lebovitz has a more casual style.

[Jean Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love anything to do with French foods and drinks. This wonderful addition to my collection has great notes on French cafe traditions (rules for good manners, if you will). All of this in the American vernacular with the spice a gay man can add. A delightful read.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bliss. A treasure trove - approachable recipes, gorgeous photos, delicious historical antidotes and insider tips on all things Parisian. Makes me wish I was in Paris - even more so than I typically do!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beauty! Great cocktails (and lots of them) that respect each ingredient and appeal to an elegant and sophisticated palate. Ditto for the abundant hors d’oeuvres in the book. Beautiful photography and good organization make the book a pleasure to read and use, too.

[Abby Newberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equal parts recipe book, anecdotal memoir, and French cultural guide, I enjoyed reading this book from cover to cover and look forward to referring back to it for future cooking, drinking, and traveling pursuits!

[Tommie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delicious, but sometimes dissappointingly narrow (Martinique referred to in terms of rum, but never through the gaze of people who might have brought that drink to France as well as themselves... only in terms of holidays), look at drinking in France. An easy book to gulp down

[Matt Suder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a pleasure to live vicariously though Mr. Lebovitz.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic overview of lots interesting aperitifs, cool cocktails to try including a yummy rosemary gimlet. Some apero snack ideas too!

[Onceinabluemoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting mix of flavors, but in the midst of a lockdown complicated ingredients left me rather cold to the recipes...

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophisticated, yet approachable, cocktails that expand your cocktail repertoire

[Кириллова · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used more than 60 recipes from this book, and my fam, friends and I loved them! Recommend!

[Dan Winston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with wonderful recipes and information about drinking in the French way. It's a must for any serious home bartender.