Bellini

oooh, bubbles!

To ring in the new year, I wanted one thing and one thing only: a Bellini.

To say I love Bellini's would be an understatement. Whether its a celebration, vacation, brunch, or a good day, its the perfect and probably my favorite cocktail.

Being anti high fructose corn syrup, and other additives in food, finding a high fructose-free peach puree was basically impossible. So I opted for the next best thing; a DIY peach puree. Using a jar of peaches from Trader Joes's, I was able to enjoy my favorite cocktail, guilt free. 

Ingredients:
-About 1 to 1 1/2 cup of peaches. The halves from the jar in Trader Joe's equalled about 2 peaches.
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup water
-Proseco, or other sparkling wine. For a non-alcoholic alternative, use sparkling cider (like Martinelli's) OR seltzer/Pellegrino.

To start, you will need to make a simple syrup. In a saucepan,  over medium high heat, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, and the mixture is clear again. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.

Once the simple syrup has cooled, combine the peaches and the simple syrup in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Strain if desired.

To make the Bellini:
Place 3 to 4 tablespoons of the peach puree in a glass of your choosing. Slowly pour in the Proseco (or sparkling cider or seltzer). Stir gently, garnish if you wish, and enjoy!