Ingredients
- 1½ ozpastis
- ½ ozgrenadine
- 4 ozcold water
- 🍋Optional: rosemary sprig or lemon slice.(garnish)
Instructions
- Pour the pastis into a highball glass.
- Add the grenadine and stir gently. The mixture will turn a rich amber-red.
- Slowly pour in the cold still water. The drink will louche into a vibrant tomato-red.
- Add ice cubes. Stir gently once more. Garnish with a rosemary sprig or lemon slice if desired and serve.
📜 History
The Tomate (pronounced "Toh-Maht") is one of the most popular pastis variations throughout France, particularly in the cafés and terraces of Provence and the Côte d'Azur. Its name means "tomato" in French, a simple reference to the drink's vivid red color produced when grenadine mixes with the milky white pastis-and-water louche. Alongside the Mauresque (pastis with orgeat) and the Perroquet (pastis with mint syrup), the Tomate belongs to the beloved family of flavored pastis serves that French bartenders have offered since the early 20th century. Grenadine softens the intensity of the anise while adding a fruity pomegranate sweetness that makes the drink more accessible than a straight pastis. The drink has no single credited inventor — it emerged from the café culture of southern France as a natural and practical variation on the classic pastis-and-water serve.