BONNE FÊTE!-BASTILLE DAY COCKTAILS
By Kirsten Amann
American Independence Day isn’t the only revolutionary drinking holiday in July. Keep those cocktail shakers chilled, grab your favorite French picnic items, and get ready to fête Bastille Day! Known in France as Le 14 Juillet or La Fête Nationale, this French National Day is celebrated annually on the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in 1789. Widely seen as the opening act of the French Revolution, the events of that day triggered a decade of social and political upheaval that ultimately dismantled the French monarchy. Much like our American 4th of July holiday, Le 14 Juillet is a time of revelry and celebration of French culture, both in France and beyond. In Boston, the French Library hosts a block party in Back Bay, drawing over 2,000 revelers each summer. After all, what could strengthen the heart more than raising a glass to Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité?
BASTILLE AS A SYMBOL OF TYRANNY
So, what exactly was the Bastille? Built in the late 14th century by King Charles V of France, the Bastille was originally a fortress erected to protect the city during the Hundred Years’ War. It gained infamy during the reign of Louis XIV, who used it as a state prison for members of the aristocracy who angered him. These prisoners were often detained without due process, sentenced by lettres de cachet, which stated neither reason nor evidence for the detention. In some cases, prisoners served their entire sentence without ever knowing why they were imprisoned. By 1789, the Bastille was no longer a major prison. Only seven prisoners remained when the fortress was stormed, and by some accounts, these men were held under relatively comfortable conditions. Still, the Bastille symbolized tyranny and the oppressive rule of the French monarchy.
LET THEM EAT CAKE
The storming of the Bastille was precipitated by an extraordinarily tough time for France. After prolonged involvement in several wars, including the Seven Years’ War and the American Revolution, the country faced a severe financial crisis. French society at this time was structured under the ancien régime, a rigid hierarchical system divided into three “estates”: the clergy (First Estate), the nobility (Second Estate), and the commoners (Third Estate). While the First and Second Estates were wealthy and enjoyed generous tax breaks, the highest tax burdens fell on the working class of the Third Estate.
France was predominantly agrarian, and in 1789, bad harvests caused grain and bread prices to soar. Bread riots were not uncommon during this period (the French are famously serious about their bread), and with grain supplies scarce, workers were spending up to 90% of their weekly wages just to feed themselves. Meanwhile, in Versailles, Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI continued to live lavishly, seemingly oblivious to the suffering outside. Though the myth that Marie Antoinette said: “Let them eat cake!” is untrue, she did lead an opulent lifestyle: “The staggering expenses that Marie Antoinette’s quixotic game plan incurred were paid for by levies on the Third Estate,” wrote Judith Thurman in a 2006 piece in THE NEW YORKER. “Her budget overruns on an annual clothing allowance of about $3.6 million in current spending power were, in some years, more than double.” Her extravagant spending and out-of-touch attitude made her an easy scapegoat for an angry public.
STORMING OF THE BASTILLE
The storming of the Bastille followed the dismissal of a finance minister, Jacques Necker, whom Gary Girod of the French History podcast described as “possibly the most popular person in France” at the time of his release on July 11, 1789. Necker understood that the regressive tax system wasn’t working and was seen as an advocate for the poor. When news of Necker’s discharge reached Paris on July 12, furious protestors took to the streets. On July 13, a people’s militia of 48,000 assembled, and on July 14, they raided Hôtel des Invalides and the Bastille in search of arms and gunpowder. The mercenary soldiers guarding the Bastille initially sought to protect it, but when Swiss guards fired on the crowd, killing 98 people, the tide turned. Mutinous French guards joined the revolutionaries, and they successfully stormed the fortress, marking the beginning of a decade of social upheaval, resistance, and revolution.
FROM REBELLION TO REVELRY
In 1790, the events of the previous year were commemorated with a one-off national holiday, La Fête de la Fédération, which included a military parade and festivals across France. A century later, Le 14 Juillet became an official national holiday. Today, Le 14 Juillet is a celebration of French culture, both in France and around the world. Festivities often begin the night before, on July 13, with the Bal de Pompiers (Fireman’s Ball), hosted by local fire stations. This tradition began in 1937 when a fire department in Montmartre opened its doors to revelers who had followed them home after the military parade. The tradition continues today, with some balls being such big events that guests may wait up to two hours in line for admittance, and the festivities often last until 4 a.m. In addition to the grand military parade down the Champs-Élysées in Paris, there are parades, concerts, picnics, and fireworks all over France to cap off the celebrations. It’s a day of quintessentially French fun and joy, made all the better with French cocktails!
Kick off the evening with a ROSE COCKTAIL…
Franck Audoux’s French Moderne Cocktails from the 1920s & 1930s offers a fantastic opportunity to step back in time and enjoy the cocktail scene from a vintage French perspective. This drink was created at the Chatham Bar at the Hôtel Chatham, which opened in 1885 and became a hotspot for cocktails on the way to the racetrack. “The talk of the town, this cocktail Rose became the most fashionable drink of the interwar period,” writes Audoux. “It was so popular that soon every bartender was making their own version.” This would be a great drink to sip as an aperitif before heading out for a night of dancing at the Bal de Pompiers.
ROSE
1 3/4 ounces of French vermouth
1 ounce of Kirsch
2/3 ounce of cherry liqueur
Brandied cherry
Stir the ingredients in a shaker tin over ice for fifteen seconds. StraIn and serve in a chilled aperitif glass. Garnish with brandied cherry.
Poppin’ bottles with LA BICYCLETTE…
There are several variations of La Bicyclette, including a modern classic from Jamie Boudreau made with gin, sweet vermouth, St-Germain, and peach bitters, as well as a Campari-based version, which really should be called La Bicicletta and pronounced with an Italian accent, no? For Bastille Day revelry, I suggest mixing up David Lebovitz’s recipe from his charming book, Drinking French. This version uses crème de cassis, an underutilized ingredient in many home bars. Lebovitz recommends looking for a crème de cassis de Dijon, which is highly regarded and made with two types of black currants. Ile de Ré, a popular French vacation spot, has a strong aperitif culture, and this drink pays tribute to the island’s leisurely, bike-powered vibe. Champagne makes everything more festive, so mix this up when you’re ready to raise a toast!
LA BICYCLETTE
1 ounce of crème de cassis
2 ounces of dry vermouth
3 ounces of Champagne or Crèmant
Lemon twist
In a large wine glass or footed goblet, mix the crème de cassis and vermouth. add the Champagne and a small handful of ice. stir briefly, then Garnish with the lemon twist.
A bit of Artemisia absinthium in the DEMPSEY COCKTAIL…
Absinthe has a checkered past in France, often unfairly maligned . . . much like Marie Antoinette. That’s a story for another time, but here’s a fun fact: Absinthe was created by a French loyalist, Pierre Ordinaire, who fled to Switzerland during the Revolution. Ordinaire was a retired doctor who sought to create a health tonic harnessing the medicinal properties of wormwood. After distilling the formula, it became wildly popular during the Belle Époque. When absinthe was banned, anise liqueurs like Ricard and Pernod filled the gap, and they remain a fixture of French café culture today. The Dempsey Cocktail was created in 1922 by Fred Martin at Casino Deauville to commemorate the “Fight of the Century” between American boxer Jack Dempsey and the first French light-heavyweight world champion, Georges Carpentier. Dempsey won, but this drink is still a winner!
DEMPSEY
1 1/2 ounces ounces of Calvados
2/3 ounceof London dry gin
1/6 ounce of Grenadine
1/8 ounce of Absinthe
stir the ingredients in a shaker tin over ice for fifteen seconds. StraIn and serve in a chilled aperitif glass.
