Pastis was once banned for more than 10 years, aniseed-based aperitifs are very popular in France. There are a number of different types of Pastis available throughout France, with many regional favorites.

Pastis Fabrication Process:

There are many different Pastis manufacturers. Small or big, they all use the same fabrication process. They only use different quantities and varieties of plants.

Plants:	The main ingredients are star anise and liquorice. They come from China and Syria. Other plants used in the recipe are thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, mugwort and verbena. The Pastis was invented in Marseille (South of France) and it basically uses the herbs that grow in that area. Some Pastis are made of up to 72 herbs and 6 spices. Star anise Liquorice
Soaking:	Each herb and spice is left to soak in 30º to 96º alcohol until its essence is impregnated in the alcohol. Soaking can last from 15 days to two months. Eventually, some plants are drained when others are pressed.
Distillation:	The mixtures are distilled to get a "distillat" that is very concentrated in flavors. Only small companies still use distillation, larger business such as Pastis 51 and Ricard only use maceration.
Final blend:	"Distillats" and infusions are blended with sugar and "anethol". The "anethol" is pure oil of star anise and it is the main ingredient of Pastis. The blending is taken down to 45º with the addition of purified water.
QA and bottling:	The filtration eliminates all the particles and gives the Pastis brilliance and clarity. It is analyzed to check its level of anethol, liquorice and alcohol before being bottled and sent to the market.

How to Serve Pastis?

Serve 2.5 to 3 cl or Pastis in a glass and add five times its volume of water. If you really want to put some ice in your glass, do at the very end to avoid the crystallization of the anethol. People from Marseille would tell you though, that it is a sin to put ice cubes in your glass.

It is an ingredient for some well-known cocktails. All of them have the same base: one-fifth Pastis to four fifths water and a dash of syrup:

Perroquet: dash of mint syrup Tomate: dash of grenadine syrup. Mauresque: dash of barley water Canari: dash of lemon Feuille morte: dash of grenadine syrup and mint syrup

Pastis Anecdotes

• Pastis is a word meaning "mixed" or "confused" in the local dialect of Provence.
• The Pastis is a symbol of the way of life in the South of France. People would spend hours sipping a Pastis while playing cards or "petanque".
• If you go to a French bar and ask for a "petit jaune" (small yellow), everyone will know that you want a Pastis."Pastaga" is the slang name of Pastis.
• Pastis 51 is the favorite of the South of France when Ricard is the favorite of the North.