Food List Challenge No. 8-Bellini. I remember my first Bellini. I was 18. It was summer in Rome. I was backpacking through Europe with my best friend and we were scraping by staying at hostels and hitting all the major sights. That day in Rome, I’m nearly certain we hit the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Roman & Imperial Forums, and Colosseum. One hot, long day. Of course, since we were 18 and the drinking age is 21 in the US, we were made a pact to drink EVERY DAY. So, after seeing all the sights, we settled down at a small café/restaurant near the Colosseum. We were prepared to order one drink and one dish for dinner. I think back then I didn’t even appreciate the concept of primo and secondo and true to my American roots I was prepared to order pasta, traditionally the first course, for my main dish. The waiter swooped down however, and gave us a lesson in Italian eating. There, while we were still reading our menus, a Bellini appeared. Not only was a free drink a glorious treat, the two us happen to be huge fans of peach. It was delectable. Cold, fizzy, smooth, floral and peachy, it turned us into two giddy gals. The meal ensued with pasta, a main course, dessert and limoncello. Now, whenever I think of Rome, I think of that meal.
I was thrilled to see a Bellini on the Food List Challenge. True to the trend of today, I added a splash of St. Germain to mine. I also didn’t have any Champagne flutes. It is unorthodox, but this one is for Julie.
BESTIES BELLINI
INGREDIENTS
(for one drink)
1 peach (approx 2 oz.) (preferably a fresh, white peaches, but I used frozen peaches in a pinch)
4 oz. Prosecco or sparkling wine, chilled
splash of St. Germain
DIRECTIONS
Puree the peach in a blender.
Pour into a glass, preferably a Champagne flute, but don’t sweat it if you don’t one. Just use a wine glass. Or a regular glass, whatever you want. Pour the Prosecco over the puree, then add a splash of St. Germain. If you are making more than one drink, and I really hope you are, then just keep the ratio 2 parts Prosecco to 1 part fruit. Stir if you want, or enjoy immediately!
It’s easy to modify this recipe to create other flavors. Peach, in particular white peaches are traditional, but you can use strawberries or mangos too.
