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Cocktails at Home: Bellinis

Bellinis

The Bellini was invented sometime between 1934 and 1948 by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy. Because of its unique pink color, which reminded Cipriani of the color of the toga of a saint in a painting by 15th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini, he named the drink the Bellini. The Bellini consists of puréed white peaches and Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine. Marinating fresh peaches in wine is an Italian tradition. The original recipe was made with a bit of raspberry or cherry juice to give the drink a pink glow. Due, in part, to the limited availability of both white peaches and Prosecco, several variations exist.


CLASSIC BELLINI
  • 3 ounces chilled peach nectar
  • Dash lemon juice
  • Dash grenadine
  • 3 ounces chilled Prosecco or Champagne, chilled

Combine the chilled peach nectar, lemon juice and grenadine in the serving glass. Stir. Then add the chilled champagne. Serve in a fluted champagne glass.

RASPBERRY BELLINI
  • 1 bag frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 bottle (750-ml) chilled brut Champagne

Blend the raspberries and sugar in a food processor or blender until pureed. Strain the raspberry puree through a sieve; discard the seeds, if you wish. Set up 6 Champagne flutes and put about 1 tablespoon of raspberry puree in each glass. Add Champagne to each glass; stir gently and serve.

STRAWBERRY BELLINI
  • 6 cups sliced strawberries
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brandy
  • 3 cups Prosecco or other sparkling wine
  • 6 large strawberries
  1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a blender. Let stand 10 minutes. Process until smooth; chill.
  2. Place 1/4 cup strawberry mixture in each of 6 glasses. Add 1/2 cup Prosecco to each serving, and stir to blend. Garnish each serving with 1 large strawberry.
Tropical BELLINI
  • 4 oz. Champagne
  • .5 oz. Peach Schnapps
  • .5 oz. Peach Sorbet
  • .5 oz. Pineapple Juice
  • 1 cup Crushed Ice

Pour all ingredients into a Blender. Blend well at High speed. Pour drink into a Collins glass and garnish with a Peach Slice and a Strawberry.

Blackberry Bellini
  • 5 oz Procescco
  • 2 oz blackberry puree
  • 1 oz creme du mure
  • Garnish: whole blackberry and mint leaf

Combine the chilled peach nectar, lemon juice and grenadine in the serving glass. Stir. Then add the chilled champagne. Serve in a fluted champagne glass.

COSMO BELLINI
  • 1 oz Absolut® Citron vodka
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau® orange liqueur
  • 1 lime wedge
  • 1 splash cranberry juice
  • 1/2 oz white peach puree
  • Prosecco® sparkling wine

Blend the raspberries and sugar in a food processor or blender until pureed. Strain the raspberry puree through a sieve; discard the seeds, if you wish. Set up 6 Champagne flutes and put about 1 tablespoon of raspberry puree in each glass. Add Champagne to each glass; stir gently and serve.

PEAR & CRANBERRY BELLINI
  • 1 cup pear nectar
  • 1 cup craberry juice cocktail
  • 1 bottle Prosecco or other dry sparkling white wine

In a small pitcher or large liquid measuring cup, combine pear nectar and cranberry juice cocktail. Pour 1/4 cup juice mixture into each of eight champagne glasses. Dividing evenly, top with Prosecco or other dry sparkling white wine.

Bellini Martini
    2 parts Absolut Apeach vodka
  • 1 part Peach Puree
  • 1 part Peach Liqueur
  • Splash of Champagne
  • garnish: peach slice

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake, strain and pour into a chilled champagne flute. Add a splash of champagne and garnish with fresh peach slice.

Please Drink Responsibly.



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