Peach Bellini

Tonight's beverage was tall champagne flutes of Peach Bellini made with peach puree from the fresh peaches I bought this weekend at the Farmer's Market. September peaches in Indiana are perfect to make this very elegant cocktail. While I prefer a white peach or pale yellow variety for Peach Bellinis, the most important thing when making your Peach Bellini is to use ripe peaches!

If you've never had a Peach Bellini then prepare yourself to be transported to an elegant restaurant on the Riviera or perhaps to the famous Bellagio Hotel's Fontana Bar where the Peach Bellini is their specialty. With every sip you'll find yourself floating around the dance floor in a flowing white silk dress with a charming tuxedo clad gentleman at least until the Bellini daydream ends.

I discovered Peach Bellinis at a small Italian restaurant in Savannah Georgia about 20 years ago and I've been a Bellini addict every since. Give me a mimosa in the morning and a Peach Bellini in the afternoon and I'm one happy Hoosier girl!

While that's my own personal history with the Peach Bellini cocktail, there's a longer and more interesting history that goes with this special beverage. Marinating fresh peaches in wine is a classic Italian dessert. In 1948 at Harry's Bar in Venice-don't ask me why a bar in Venice is called Harry's-a clever bartender named Giuseppi Cipriani (don't you love the name!) experimented with various ingredients to invent a new cocktail.

Mixing a white peach puree with Prosecco, an Italian champagne like beverage he discovered pure peach bliss.

The drink reminded Giuseppi of the color of a sunset in a painting by the famous 15^th century artist Giovanni Bellini and thus history was made when Mr. Cipriani named his new drink, the Bellini. The drink became an instant success and was transported across the ocean to the Venice Bar in New York. And of course it migrated south to Savannah where in 1988, a Hoosier tourist drank her first Peach Bellini.

Was I instantly transported to that elegant little restaurant on the Riviera? I can truthfully say, yes. There is nothing like an elegant fluted glass of Peach Bellini to bring a little romance into your life.

While you can use fresh peaches like I did this beautiful September day, Chef Rachel Ray made Peach Bellinis on her television show and used frozen peaches. Since those frozen peaches were probably frozen from fresh peaches it probably would work just fine. I've always used the ripest, sweetest, juiciest peaches I can find, hence I only have Peach Bellinis in August and September.

And while I'm sure the restaurant in Savannah and Giuseppi Cipriani used authentic Prosecco dry Italian sparkling wine, I just use Champagne, which could explain why I love Peace Bellinis so much.

Here is a recipe link to Mrs. Ray's show and to another website with proportions for making supposedly perfect Peach Bellinis or you can do what I do and just blend the fresh peaches and add some champagne. You can't go wrong!

Cheers!

Recipe links for Peach Bellini Recipes.

Rachel Ray Show

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/peach-bellini/

http://www.oprah.com/recipe/omagazine/recipes/food_20020916_bellini