Fruity Alcoholic Drink Recipe: Fresh Peach Bellini Cocktail

In the summer, on the terrace of his wine bar overlooking a picture-book Tuscan valley, our local barman Alfredo, serves a popular fruity alcoholic drink based on the recipe of a famous Venetian cocktail - 'Bellini Cocktail'.

He's modified it a little. He likes to add a spring of fresh mint - freshly snipped from his balcony!

A classic Peach Bernini is simply made with Prosecco and ripe peaches (puréed to a 'smoothie' in a blender).

If it isn't the peach season, but you'd like to have a party with Peach Bernini cocktails anyway, then simply use peach juice from your health food store or supermarket. It tastes just as good and looks just as pretty. (When mixing your drinks, use the same quantity as fresh peach.)

Prosecco, like Champagne, is a dry, sparkling white wine. Whereas Champagne comes from the Champagne district of France, Prosecco comes from late-ripening prosecco grapes of the Veneto area of North East Italy. It's best served chilled!

(If you have an i phone you can download your Prosecco wine's particulars by scanning the bottle's label!)

Being comparatively low in alcohol (11-12%), it makes a pleasant drink for afternoon parties, especially in the heat, or an early evening aperitif among friends, or for sipping through an evening event, especially if you have to drive!

A 'Bernini Cocktail' in the International Bartenders Association list of 'Official Cocktails' is classified as a 'Long Drink' - as are, for example, a Mimosa, Piña Colada and a Tequila Sunrise (to name a few).

The nutritional values of 1 glass of Prosecco are officially these:

69 calories

1% carbohydrates

2% Iron

0.08 Protein

Harry's Bar in Venice was founded by Giuseppe Cipriani, who invented the Bellini Cocktail.

He named it the Peach 'Bellini' because of its pinky color. The white peach, according to Cipriani turned a 'Bellini pink' color when pureéd in the blender.

The first ripe peaches are already on market stalls in Italy mid June. Then we have peaches, peaches, peaches through the summer until September.

Classically the peach used in the Peach Bellini cocktail in Venice is made with a 'white' peach because of its color, because it is sweeter and lower in acid.

Alfredo uses a yellow peach because he says it tastes more 'peachy'; besides it doesn't bruise so easily - and why not use the many delicious yellow peaches growing on trees all around his bar?

These are the nutritional values of a medium sized (76 gram) peach:

30 calories

7 g carbohydrate

1 g sugar

140 mg potassium

8% daily value for vitamin C

In Venice's Harry's Bar a 'Peach Bellini' Cocktail was served in a Champagne Flute because most drinks with bubbles are served in fluted glasses. It lets the bubbles rise slower.

Here in our part of Tuscany though, Alfredo prefers to serve this fruity drink in a classic cocktail glass. He claims that more space around the rim to decorate makes it all look sunny.

A sprig of just- picked mint between a few slices of peaches gives Alfredo's Peach Bellini Drink recipe a perfetto garden-fresh look - and smell.

If you make this in the winter and you have to substitute fresh peaches with bottled juice, the mint will give the impression of serving a fresh, fruity drink!

If you're on holiday in Italy you could probably order your Bellinis in English since most barmen and waiters speak this foreign dialect today, but where's the fun in that?

Here are a few essential sentences in Italian to swagger some savoir faire.

At the Bar - Dialogue

(Note about pronunciation: the ending of words in 'e' are pronounced with an 'é' acute)

You: Due Cocktail Bellini per favore! (Two Peach Bellinis please).

And to ask for your bill -

You: Il conto, per favore? (The bill please)

And always -

Grazie. (Thanks)

To celebrate the drink and company -

Cin cin (pronounced Chin chin)

or

Saluté (Cheers!)