The sun is here even if we still need a little wool… The buds have appeared and they are multiplying like the chairs on the terrace! It’s spring, the good weather is back with sunglasses, legs in the air and an aperitif.
The aperitif is quite an institution in France. This is part of our good manners and our interpersonal skills. We even invented the aperitif dinner… That shows how much we love the aperitif. It all starts with a small drink and small snacks on a counter, at home or in a park. And of course, the aperitif is an appetizer, it should in no way replace dinner. It’s just an intermediate step and we can practically say that we have So Italians with the aperitivo are our closest cousins (or even brothers!). They too love this moment with friends or family.
The Japanese also have an aperitif even if the term is not the same. Did you know, however, that “L’apéritif à la française” was launched a few years ago, in 2004? It’s a gastronomic event around French cuisine produced by Sopexa. The words “apéritif” and “apéritivo” have become commonplace in Japan to highlight this time of day when we meet for a small drink and a quick bite to eat before dinner.
The Japanese term for the aperitif is “nomikai” and it takes place in a very specific place: the izakaya. The izakaya is the French bistro or Spanish tapas bar. We meet there after work to order food and drinks. Salarymen pass by izakaya almost every day for their “afterwork”. On arrival at the establishment you are served a glass of beer or sake with an otoshi. It’s systematic and this appetizer (which is imposed on you) will have to be paid for at the end.
In these izakaya, we serve traditional, gourmet dishes in small quantities: yakitori (skewers), chicken karaage (fried chicken), sashimi, salads, cold tofu, edamame (green soy beans)… They have attractive prices between 2 and 6 euros per small plate.
When it comes to drinks, there is a choice. In Japan, beer known as “biru” is the most consumed alcohol. But there is also the possibility of having a highball which is a whiskey mixed with sparkling water or lemonade. Then, there are the sours called “sawa” and the “chuhai”: spirits (notably shochu) mixed with fruit juice or lemonade.
And of course, there is sake! Bars where you can drink standing up appeared during the Edo era (1603-1868) and were called “sakaya”. Today, the word has transformed into izakaya. Sake has always been served there because the primary objective was to drink and not to eat. Little by little, we offered small dishes to accompany the drinks. Before the glass bottle existed, sake was delivered in barrels (taru) and the masu, a square wooden container, was used to calculate the quantities to be served. This is the reason why in izakaya we can continue to serve sake in masu.
In Bordeaux you can try a very good izakaya: Aoi which belongs to Satomi Chan of the famous Pâtisserie S. Aoi is located in Mériadeck and you can have a great experience.
#France Bleu Gironde broadcast from March 28, 2024 with Marie-Corine Cailleteau: click on the link to listen to the replay more easily and go to my Instagram @chloeandwines to see my appearance on the radio in Reels!
