French Apéro Favourites for your World Cup Watch Party

Football fandom is serious business, and so is gameday snacking. You don’t have to be cheering for Les Bleus to add a little French flair to your next aperitif spread. Here, we’ve curated some fresh apéro ideas for your next watch party.

Seasonal All Stars 

Whatever side of the Atlantic you’re on, June is the perfect time to start celebrating summer produce. For the French, that means the arrival of strawberries, melons, and first-of-the-season tomatoes. We whipped up three special recipes featuring French seasonal produce for your summer world cup apéro to help you let these stars of early summer produce shine. 
 
This melon carpaccio is colorful and light. The strawberry and tomato gazpacho blends sweetness and acidity to keep the heat off. And these cherry tomato and halloumi skewers add a pop of color (and a tasty vegetarian option) to your next barbecue lineup. 

The Non-Negotiable Cheese Board 

There are a few things that can unite French people all over l’Hexagone. The World Cup is one of them. A good cheese board can do the job, too.  
 
The players representing France at this summer’s tournament hail from every corner of the country from Nouvelle Aquitaine to Normandy to the French Guiana. Your French cheese board can span the country, too: Try a Camembert from Normandy, the famous Brie de Meaux, or a Roquefort PDO from Occitanie. Got questions on how to craft the perfect board? We’ve got answers in this guide. 

A Southern Touch 

The French national team’s longstanding manager, Didier Deschamps, had an illustrious career as a player before becoming a coach. “DeDe” spent the zenith of his playing days in the white and blue of Olympique de Marseille, and remains an incredibly popular figure in France’s second city. Toast Mr. Deschamps with a Sud-de-France classic, Panisse with Aioli. These chickpea fritters combine the nutty flavour of chickpea flour and a bracing, garlicky aioli that hits a bit like a good French fry.  

A Special Friendship 

Fun fact: France’s second shirt for this year’s tournament is a unique soft green designed to mimic the copper patina on the Statue of Liberty. The shirt, like the statue itself, pays homage to the special centuries-long friendship between the USA and France. 

Take this as your sign to pour a drink that mashes up French wine and American cocktail culture. This Chardo Mule Cocktail mixes crisp French chardonnay with punchy ginger beer. Or color coordinate with a green-hued Sauvignon Special and cucumber garnish. Celebrating a big win? Pop some champagne: here are five Champagne-based cocktails to get the party started. 

Trout Rillettes 

One of France’s formidable obstacles in this year’s tournament is a group stage match against Norway. Tune into that matchup with a little kitchen diplomacy in the form of these Trout Rillettes. While Scandinavia produces some excellent fish, France is one of the world’s top exporters of delicious, sustainable organically farmed trout. These rillettes, laced with Isigny PDO creme fraiche and fragrant dill, make for a traditional French apéro spread that we think would please our Norwegian neighbors, too. 

The world cup may be a glitzy global sporting showpiece, but at its heart, it’s an opportunity to gather with old friends and new, no matter what country, time zone, or table you’re seated around. But if you don’t have a team yet, say it with us: Allez les Bleus!