There is a 'nouveau' cocktail scene in Paris.
I don't mean a cocktail party scene whether it's for book launches or art galleries or fashion.
As the world (China, India) discovers wine bars, Paris falls in love with bars that shake, rattle and stir as I discovered in Le Shake, c'est chic (FT How to Spend It, September 10).
According to the author, Mark Ellwood, they follow a different path than American bartenders (mixologist sounds too pretentious for me).
They don't stick to precise measurements for each component replacing that by a healthy dose of creativity and would rather use Champagne than club soda.
Seems like the scene was started by the trio behind Experimental Cocktail Club, Olivier Bon, Pierre-Charles Cros and Romee de Goriainoff.
One of their original ideas was to democratize the price of cocktails from the 'usual' 20 Euros to a less schocking 10 to 12 Euros range.
With 3 bars to their name in Paris and a 4th one slated to open in London, these 'new wave' cocktail masters captured the moment.
As noted in 'Le Shake, c'est Chic', Forest, an American Expat, has made it her mission to follow this Parisian Bar Scene on 52 Martinis and also offers A Google Map of all the places she already visited.
She mentions that culinary schools like La Cuisine with a Shake it Baby Class started sharing How To Steps to Good Drinks at home.
(* illustration from Shake it Baby Class story on 52 Martinis)