Pastis

Description

The pastis is the result of the maceration of several plants: the Fennel and the Liquorice. The Fenouil was replaced by the Chinese Badiane whose fruits are much richer in Anéthol. He is drunk in Apéritif, supplemented with water. One generally adds from five to seven volumes for a volume of pastis. But free with each one to drink it more or less light, according to its tastes and the outside temperature (it is preferable that water is fresh).

When one makes the mixture by pouring water, one passes then from a rather transparent ambrée color to a yellow disturbs a little milky. This disorder comes from the precipitation of the Anéthol, not very water soluble; if one waits a few hours, the precipitate disappears. This phenomenon also appears at the time of the Réfrigération pure pastis (it is said whereas the pastis “spangles”).

The yellow color of the pastis is due to a dye, often caramel. There exist white pastis without dye. Certain producers (Janot, etc) even created blue pastis.

In the circumference the Mediterranean N one finds other drinks similar containing anise (in general of white color):

the Anisette (Algeria before 1962);
crystal;
the Ouzo in Greece;
the Mastika in Bulgaria;
the Rakı in Turkey;
the arak with the Lebanon and in Syria;
the Sambuca in Italy.

Synonyms

The pastis is also called a yellow or a fly in the south of France. It can be also called fennel , even yoghourt , pomade or blank if the proportion of water is weak. One says also pastaga , but not especially in the south of France (one would pass there even rather for Parisian). It is also current to ask " a ricard" name of the historical company having succeeded in binding the name of its mark to this drink in the collective spirit.

The mummy or mominette is a pastis been useful in small glass. In certain area, it is moreover one “half-amount”.

History

The Romains drank already wine of anise mixed with plants.

In 1915, occurs the prohibition of the wormwood and similar drinks in France. Very fuzzy, the law leaves doubts and the production of drinks containing Anis falls. In 1920, the State authorizes the production again and restores the authorization of anisated consumption whose alcohol Degré is lower than 30°. Then, in 1922, the degree is raised with 40°. A true frenzy seizes then the Provence where it is present in all the bars. Each mark personalizes its receipts by adding to the anise of other aromatic plants such as fennel, the green anise, liquorice, etc It is in 1932 that the word pastis appears.

In 1938, one authorizes the production and the sale of pastis and drinks anisated titrating 45°.

Paul Ricard shows innovation by working out a receipt including of the star anise, the green anise and liquorice. Its slogan, “Ricard, true pastis of Marseilles”. It is the first time that the word pastis appears on the label of an aniseed aperitif. A very broad distribution network, make it possible its sales to take off and he becomes the first salesman of pastis.

Until their fusion in 1975, the Ricard companies and Pernod deliver a hard competition on the market of the anisated drinks which reaches its apogee in the the Sixties. The group Pernod Ricard dominates today the worldwide market of the pastis with the Ricard marks and 51 (which was initially marketed in 1951 pennies the mark Pernod 51, then Pastis 51 of 1954 to 1999). To note that the Pernod same group is an anisated drink , and not a pastis.

There exists obviously of other marks of pastis dividing the remainder of the market, in particular the Marseillais Duval and Casanis (both the property of the Boisset group and produced in same distilling) and white Shepherd (a white pastis of the Gemaco company of the house Marie Brizard, held by the group Belvédère). Certain artisanal productions, like Eyguebelle or Henri Bardouin, aim at the market high-of-range.

Since the the Nineties, the marks known as “economic” were adapted nearly 40% of the French market, among which Cigalis, the mark of the Hypermarché S Cora, or marks it distributer hardware discount Leader Price.

According to the Pernod-Ricard company, the consumption of pastis in France represents some 130 million liters per annum, that is to say more than 2 liters per capita.

There exist also producers of pastis out of France, such as for example the Charbay distilling, which produces in California a pastis with 45° without dye.

Cocktails

the Moorish (or moresque), containing pastis and of barley water (also called “EPO”: E with, p silks, O rgeat).
the tomato, containing pastis and of Syrup of grenadine.
the parrot, containing pastis and of Mint beverage.
the Lanmaderlo , containing pastis and of Get 27. This name was given in memory to the union between the towns of Landerneau and Saint-Malo.
the dead sheet or the gas-oil containing pastis and of a mixture of Syrup of grenadine and Mint beverage.
the gherkin, containing pastis and of green banana syrup.
the reed, containing pastis, will angostura and curaçao.
fuel oil, containing pastis and of Cola (originating in the Basque Country).
the Sazerac, containing pastis (sometimes replaced by wormwood or of Pernod) and of Whiskey of rye or cognac.

the canary, containing pastis and of lemon syrup

References

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