We are well into wonderful peach season, and having just come back from the south where the most beautiful peaches abound, we are absolutely bonkers for peaches right now!
So, of course, we just had to make a peach cocktail. We’re also in the thick of the summer heat, so we certainly don’t want to spend a long time working on said cocktail. Easy peasy, please!
Nothing is easier than a two-ingredient cocktail, and we've talked before about the beautiful simplicity of a minimalist drink. This one really allows the delicate flavors of the fresh, ripe peach shine through: the classic Bellini.
This lovely sipper was created by Giuseppe Cipriani in 1948; he was the founder and bartender at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy. Giuseppe thought that the beautiful "sunset" shades of the cocktail were reminiscent of the colors used by Venetian artist (from the 15th century) Giovanni Bellini, and named the beverage after him. Harry's Bar was patronized by the glitterati of the time: Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote, and Humphrey Bogart, to name a few. Because of the bar's international clientele, word of this beautiful cocktail spread globally and helped it become the famous drink that it still is today.
We imagine that we are overlooking a beautiful Venetian sunset, rubbing elbows with the stars, while we sip this chic cocktail -- may your experience be equally relaxing!
The Bellini
1 1/2 - 2 oz. peach puree *
4 1/2 oz. chilled Prosecco
Add puree to a chilled flute and slowly top with Prosecco. Sip & enjoy!
* It's so easy to make peach puree! The cocktail was traditionally made with white peaches, but any fresh, ripe peach will be delicious. Simply boil some water, and toss your peach into it for about 45 seconds, then transfer it to an ice bath. The skin should peel right off. Remove the pits and slice it into small pieces. Pulverize it in a blender or food processor until smooth. One peach will yield about 2 ounces, or enough to make one cocktail. You can also (optionally) add a little sweetener. A dash of simple syrup or honey added while blending the puree will make the cocktail a bit sweeter, if you prefer.