Almond trees are native to Afghanistan, but were brought to Provence in the 5th century B.C. Almond trees adjust perfectly to the climate & soil of Haute Provence. Provencal gastronomy uses almonds in many ways. Barley water & almond liqueur are beverages made from almonds. This liqueur has a base of essence of bitter almond from Provence, cherry spirit, cherry, peach & vanilla infusions, cane sugar, & brandies of Provence. The dominant aroma is almond, but the infusions & cherry spirit heighten the product's flavour thanks to their specific walnut aroma. The peach & vanilla infusions give the Amandine its structure & make it fruity. Amandine is a liqueur that is enjoyed as a digestive. Amandine is also used for the Lou Parpaillou: 1/6 Amandine & 5/6 Bau Frizzant De Muscat. Amandine may be served over vanilla ice cream, chocolate pears & with pear tarts or Twelfth Night cakes. ...

A bold bitter made from absinthe plants, Extreme d Absente is not so much a drink in its own right but a flavour enhancer. Purists will simply add it to water Extreme d Absente, with a thujone content three times more concentrated, comes in an ambitious packaging: a bottle with its own pipette. The pipette draws the eye, adds to the thrill, excitement & mystery of Extreme d Absente; giving it an aura of mystique. Add a few drops of Extreme d Absente directly to a cocktail or a beer, or onto a sugar cube. Our tip: On a sugar cube, in Absente, beer or cola, all you need is a few drops to subtly change the flavour of the drink. A gentle change that is barely perceptible. ...

The herb that gives its name to this liqueur plays a very special role in the life & imagination of the inhabitants of Provence. Farigoule is a traditional liqueur in Provence. Many families, & farmers in particular, make it from harvesting thyme & marc. Distilleries Provence Farigoule is a direct result of this tradition. The name Farigoule comes from the Latin fericula; it means small wild herb. This liqueur uses an infusion, a Provencal thyme (Thymus vulgaris) spirit, sugar cane syrup, sugar caramel syrup & alcohol for its base. The thyme is picked just when it blossoms in the spring or early in the autumn. It is macerated then distilled. The mixture of the flowering tops & dried leaves gives Farigoule a better aromatic balance. Infinitesimal doses of herbs are added, such as sage, lemon verbena & angelica, to make Farigoule more characteristic of the region. Farigoule liqueur may be enjoyed straight up or chilled. Granite a la Farigoule: in a liqueur glass, add some crushed ice, & pour in Farigoule. Then put the glass in the freezer. Enjoy this drink ice cold. ...

The first alcohol-based liqueur was called eau divine & admirable. It was nothing more than water with sugar added. It was considered as medicine. Later, people from Haute Provence added herbs from their mountains, genipi, for example. This is an alcohol-based liqueur, made from sugar cane syrup, an infusion & a Genepi des Alpes spirit, with a soupcon of an infusion of 63 other herbs. The dry genipi maceration (Artemisia glacialis and/or Artemisia mutellina) is the base used for this liqueur. A complex composition of an infusion of herbs & genipi spirit reinforces this product's aromatic power. Genepi is a liqueur & should be enjoyed straight up, at room temperature or very cold. ...

Gentiane de Lure is one of the two oldest Distilleries et Domaines de Provence recipes. It's an aperitif made from Luberon white wine, sweet fortified wine, alcohol, sugar, infusion & extracts of gentian roots, infusion of sweet & bitter oranges & a quinquina infusion. It has a gentle bitterness & the true root flavours & aromas of Provence. One of the oldest Distilleries et Domaine de Provence aperitifs, Gentiane de Lure is made for connoisseurs of gentian & lovers of all things bitter. ...

H&-crafted at the Distilleries et Domaines in Provence like it was in 1860, Grande Absente is made exclusively with the highest quality spirits & select botanicals from the region, including a full measure of the legendary botanical wormwood, also known as 'artemesia absinthium'. What sets Grande Absente apart is the combination of French artisinal distillation techniques & high quality mix of regional botanicals which results in a great tasting absinthe, a surprisingly refreshing drink that's out of this world. Remember, Grande Absente is a traditional French ' Verte' absinthe recipe at 138 proof (69% ABV%), so please drink with caution. ...

Noix de St Jean owes its name to the very ingredient that makes it unique: the best Dauphine green walnuts, gathered at optimum maturity. On the St Jean (St Jean's Day). To enhance the flavour of the nuts, the Distilleries et Domaines de Provence recipe combines them with nutmeg, cinnamon & cloves. Subtle touches which give this aperitif its spicy, fruity flavours. ...

Infusion of sweet & bitter oranges. Luberon rose wine. Quinquina infusion. Curacao spirit. Natural orange flavouring. Cane sugar. Alcohol. It's a clever infusion of all these ingredients which gives Orange Colombo its unique flavour. Orange Colombo is a particularly pleasant, refreshing companion for desserts, particularly chocolate desserts & citrus or fresh fruit salads. ...

Some herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, savory & sage are actually harvested in Forcalquier. The exact place & date of the harvest varies each year. However, some always come from the same area, such as verbena citronella from Forcalquier. Other items, including the spices, of course, arrive from more distant lands; China may supply the star anise, or the licorice may come from Syria. They extract the aromatic principles from the harvested & dried herbs. We let them macerate in alcohol. The temperature, time & alcohol content yield the desired taste. The infusion is ended & extraction takes place. In our press, we separate the infused liquid from the herb part to obtain the last juice to be added to the infusion. After the herbs are pressed, they still contain many aromas & essences. By distilling them in our old still, we extract them. Some infusions are also distilled to give them greater finesse. Mixing the infusions & distillates produces the flavoured spirit. This flavoured spirit, a product of each of the herbs & spices, is what they need to assemble the product. & this is the most delicate part of the process. The volume of the infusions varies according to temperature, so the infusions are weighed as opposed to measured. Their aromatic characteristics can vary also according to harvest. The dosage of anethole & sugar are also crucial. To keep the product's qualities constant, it is essential for a taster to analyze & taste the product at every stage of production. Final assembly, which must be perfectly executed, creates this symphony of aromas & flavours. Next there are the final inspections followed by the final tasting. A taster directs this final phase. The last procedure is bottling. ...

The term Rin Quin Quin was originally a generic word. In the Provencal language it means invigorating drink (from the verb requinquilhar: to cheer up). People used to give names to their favourite aperitifs or digestifs. Today, it is becoming synonymous with 'peach wine'. This aperitif has a base made from white wine, alcohol, infusions of peaches, peach tree leaves & sugar. Peach trees: originally found in Persia, peach trees came to Provence during the Roman era. Long ago, in Provence, peach trees were often seen as having therapeutic properties, something that has been totally forgotten today. The leaves, blossoms, stones & gum from peach trees were used as medicine. The fruit is harvested when ripe. They select several varieties of peaches, including the following three :
- Cardinal peaches, with their orange-red skin & pale yellow, juicy meat.
- Coronet peaches are white, juicy & flavourful.
- Junegold peaches have orange-yellow skin & light yellow & tasty meat. The leaves are harvested from the peach trees sometime in September. The peaches & leaves are macerated separately in alcohol & wine in order to extract the parts that are soluble. At the end of the required maceration period (six months to one year), the infusions that are obtained are separated into two parts. The liquid part is added to the white wine. The solid part is distilled & then added. Rin Quin Quin aperitif should be enjoyed straight up, chilled, & with ice cubes if you prefer. Rin Quin Quin goes well with foie gras. It may also be used to flavour fruit salads (1 tablespoon; berries are suggested).


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