Drinks of The France Dance
Initially when planning this flavor, I was going to talk solely about the Ott rosè served at the victory party in chapter 38. However, as I began writing, I recalled several of the other drinks mentioned in the book, and decided I should share about them all, and why I chose to include them.
Let’s begin with Ott rosè. Read an exerpt below of chapter 38 La fête de la victoire:
Luc held the wine out to him again, and upon taking a glass in each hand, he toasted his friend with a clink and they each took a quick gulp of the rosé. It was Ott, his favorite that he had chosen specifically for that night, because it would go so well with the carpaccio he was serving. It was crisp with citrus notes and a golden pink hue that reminded the locals of the sunset in Cassis.
I first tasted Ott at a wine dinner at Rick’s Chophouse years ago and it has been my favorite ever since. I love the elegant, crisp French style. I love the color. And I prefer to drink mine especially cold, with ice.
Next up, a Kir Royale. I learned about a Kir Royale from my dear friend, Lorie Fangio, owner of A Taste of Paris. In chapter 35 Dejourner à Cassis, Robin orders this champagne cocktail with their lunch.
“So, Kir Royale? Tell me about this drink,” Noëlle asked.
”Well, these were actually created during the Nazi occupation in France.”
”Really?”
”Yes. The Nazi soldiers took anything of value for themselves, including the famous French Burgundy wine, leaving the lesser-desireable white wine. A Catholic priest named Félix Kir was part of the French Resistance. Legend has it in a show of defiance, he added a little crème de Cassis to the white wine, which made it look red, bringing the French people a little comfort, as that is what they were accustomed to drinking.”
”What is crème de Cassis?”
”It’s a liqueur made from black currants.”
”Well, I guess teh mixture turned out to be good since we are still drinking these today,” she said taking another sip.
”It did. Crème de Cassis mixed with white wine was named a Kir in honor of Cantor Kir. When you add Crème de Cassis to champagne, it’s called a Kir Royale. That’s what this is,” he said, lifiting his glass.
I chose to include this drink, one because it’s delicious—the perfect cocktail for lunch by the sea. It’s not too sweet and the perfect pink color. And two, to pay tribute to Lorie. Every time I have one, I think of her.
Let’s talk about matcha. So in early 2023, I decided to give up coffee and switch to matcha. I was struggling with anxiety, and the caffeine from coffee was taking its toll on me. Matcha is a Japanese green tea with a component called L-Theanine that gives both a “pick-me-up” as well as a calming effect.
I gave Noëlle’s character this same issue. She was so hopped up on caffeine and stress, that when Marion introduces matcha to her, she can feel her anxiety melt away.
Propping her pillow sup with the headboard, Noëlle sat up and retrieved her matcha from the bedside table. She took a sip of the earthy green tea and closed her eyes. Since her switch from coffee to green tea in the past week, the anxiety that had fueled her body for so long was easily cut in half, like the tension of a rubber band had released.
I love this scene from chapter 39 with Marion and Noëlle sitting in their pajamas, drinking hot tea, and laughing about the night before. It’s such a simple and normal interaction for Noëlle. For the record, I drink the organic matcha sold by Shayna’s Kitchen because it has a soft green flavor with no bitterness.
My final favorite drink from The France Dance is also from chapter 39.
Out on the terrace, they passed the drinks around the table. Noëlle loved that Aunt Simi poured herself a short cup of orange juice and then added sparkling water to it. A wave of nostalgia washed over her as a memory of Sadie doing the same thing at breakfast bloomed in her mind.
I got this idea from one of my favorite movies, It’s Complicated. I watched Meryl Streep’s character pour a sparkling orange juice for Alec Baldwin’s character when he stops by one morning and I thought it such an elegant drink. It stayed in my imagination for years and was happy to have a place to incorporate it.
Friends, that’s it for Drinks of The France Dance. Having written a book with so many flavors, I wanted to pay special attention to the various drinks found within its pages. I hope this blog post inspires you to try a new drink.
