Pastis Olive - Comme a Marseille... 1936 Original Poster

Imagine sitting in any of thousands of Provence’s outdoor cafes in southern France. The sun is shining, and you are tired. What to order? If you are a Provencale you will without any doubt order pastis – the unmistakable of all alcoholic beverages of the Mediterranean. Pastis consists of alcohol, star anise, both black and white pepper corns, cardamom, sage, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, licorice and a little sugar. Diluted with water, as it is always drank, it becomes milky white and is often referred to as the Milk of Provence. In 1932 Pastis, introduced by Paul Ricard, emerged some 17 years following the ban on absinthe. Shortly after, Pernot, a former-Absinth producer in France, began to sell its own version of this drink. It soon became the favourite of all in Marseille. In 1936, the first French paid holidays further popularized Pastis, and it became the most popular aperitif in France. This extra-large poster has captured the spirit of Pastis and the provencal life so well. This is