Pastis
Photo: cyclonebill from Copenhagen, Denmark · CC BY-SA 2.0

History

Pastis was created in 1932 by Paul Ricard in the Sainte-Marthe district, after absinthe's 1915 ban left a market gap. Henri Bardouin and Janot followed as Provencal artisan producers. The 1:5 dilution ritual at the cafe table is unchanged since the 1930s; the Marseille midday pause centres on it. Bar de la Marine and Le Cafe de la Banque pour the canonical city version.

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Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 10 minTotal 15 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle Ricard 45 (or Henri Bardouin, Janot)
  • 1 large carafe ice-cold spring water
  • Ice cubes
  • 4 tall narrow pastis glasses (15cl)
  • 200g Provencal black tapenade
  • 200g green olives, marinated
  • 200g salted almonds
  • 1 dozen anchoiade (anchovy paste) crostini
  • 1 bag pretzels or saucisson chips

Method

  1. Chill the pastis glasses in the fridge for 30 minutes; the drink must be cold all the way down.
  2. Fill the water carafe with cold spring water and a few ice cubes.
  3. Pour 30 to 40ml of pastis into each cold glass (a single dose, called a doigt in Marseille).
  4. Pour ice-cold water over the pastis at a 1:5 ratio (about 150 to 200ml of water per dose).
  5. Watch the louche effect: as the water hits the anise, the drink shifts from clear golden to pale milky yellow in three seconds. This is the essential theatre.
  6. Add 2 to 3 ice cubes only after pouring the water; ice added directly to neat pastis crystallises the anethole and breaks the louche.
  7. Set out the tapenade, olives, almonds, anchoiade crostini and pretzels.
  8. Sip slowly. A pastis is a 30-minute drink, not a shot; the ice melts and dilutes as the conversation goes on.

Tip from the editors. Variations: with grenadine it is a tomate, with mint a perroquet, with orgeat a mauresque. Marseillais all have their own ratio of pastis to water.

Where to eat pastis

Pastis in Marseille

Bar de la Marine ★ 4.3

€€ BrasserieUntil Daily until 02:00

Bar de la Marine in Marseille's 7e on Quai de Rive Neuve has held the spot since 1929, the Pagnol-trilogy room serving pastis and brasserie tapas late.

TryPastis, brasserie tapas and lunch plates re-served late

TipOpen daily 7am-2am; the terrace fills on weekend nights with the youth crowd.

Directions

Le Cafe de la Banque ★ 4.0

€€ French Brasserie6e

Le Cafe de la Banque in Marseille's 6e in the Estrangin former banking district is a Haussmann brasserie with a wide terrace running the day's specials.

OrderThe plat du jour at lunch, a charcuterie board at aperitif.

TipOpen daily from breakfast through aperitif tapas to dinner; reservations for evening only.

Directions

Le Pelle-Mele ★ 4.2

€€ French bistroUntil Daily until 02:00

Le Pelle-Mele in Marseille's 1er on Place aux Huiles is the city's longest-running jazz bar, late-night cocktails and tapas under live music from the small.

TryTapas and bistro plates with live jazz

TipLive music most nights; small room, arrive before 21:00 for a seat.

Directions

Le Cafe de l'Abbaye ★ 4.2

€€ EUR 16 to EUR 26BrunchProvencal brunch on the terrace

Le Cafe de l'Abbaye in Marseille's 7e opens its terrace for a Provencal brunch on weekends, eggs with Provencal vegetables, charcuterie boards and the daily.

OrderEggs with Provencal vegetables and a glass of rose at noon

TipWalk-in only on weekends; the terrace looks at the Vieux Port.

Directions

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