The Best Bellini's Secret: Peak Season Peach Puree

A good Bellini is a rare thing, despite the cocktail being simply a combination of peaches and prosecco. But once you've had a good one, you thirst for the next. The effervescent cocktail was first made by Giuseppe Cipriani in 1948 at Harrys Bar in Venice, Italy. It was summer, he wanted to spotlight the local white peaches and Italy's bubbly of choice, and to create something simple and fun for the Bar's cosmopolitan clientele.

Why the name Bellini?

Cipriani was inspired by his cocktail's blushing orange color, which evoked those of Renaissance artist Giovani Bellini born in Venice in 1430. Bellini's use of slow-drying oil paints led to his developing more intense rich colors and nuanced shades. He influenced artists such as Titian and centuries later, the drinking world. When you make the peach puree from peak season fruit, the color speaks to the simple beauty of the cocktail. The flavor result speaks to the brilliance of Cipriani's concoction. The texture is slightly thick from the puree. You get to literally drink up that natural color.

Peach puree from The Bartender's Pantry

The original Bellini recipe calls for mashing white peaches but I seldom have time for that. Moreover, fresh fruit mashes and juice tends to not keep well-- the color oxidizing and the flavor becoming muted. For professional bartending know-how, I looked to The Bartender's Pantry, a new book by mixologist extraordinaire Jim Meehan and illustrator Bart Sasso, aided by Emma Janzen.

The collaborative trio produced a drinks book that's loaded with ideas for new and experienced cocktail folks. The illustrations are handsome but also instructive because you can glance at them to sense the physicality of say, shaking the plastic bottle to make sure the peach puree is well combined.

I'm a very casual cocktail drinker. However, from the book, not only did I gain this recipe for peach puree to make fabulous Bellinis whenever I want, but also insights into flavor preservation. For instance, the chapter on fruit, is outstanding. Discussions on ripening allows you to understand when and how to select and use seasonal fruit. I got to that chapter because it's peach season and I scored a bunch of super ripe fruit that needed preservation, fast! Aside from eating them raw, making jam, or baking with the peaches, I needed other ideas to use the superb summer fruit.

Why this peach puree stands out

I've made TBP's peach puree twice and it's a winner for several reasons:

• It keeps for a week (per the recipe) but I kept mine for 3 weeks in the fridge without compromise to the color or flavor.
• Citric acid helps to add a slight tang but also preserves the peachy color and flavor. I purchased citric acid at a health food store in the bulk section. The white crystalline resembles sugar but it is tart. Despite the fierce sounding name, citric acid is naturally occurring in fruit.
• You can use frozen peaches.
• Scale the recipe up or down. Use simple math to make a little (1 peach) or a lot (double or triple the batch for a party). I recently bought a new scale that measures down to the .1 gram and up to 5 kilos (11 pounds).

That said, I tweaked a couple things when going two rounds with the peach puree:

• Used yellow peaches when ripe white ones were unavailable. White peaches have a rose-like perfume whereas yellow peaches have a little more tang.
• For small amounts, say a quarter batch with 1 peach, I used a stick/immersion blender.
• Peel the fruit because peach fuzz and the skin add too much body, yielding an overly thick puree that may muddle up cocktail flavor and viscosity.

How to peel a peach? If the peach is super ripe, you may be able to peel it with a knife and your fingers. If it's firm-ripe, cut an "X" in the skin then briefly blanch the peaches in boiling water to loosen the skin; ice bath them then peel.

Print Recipe

Peach Puree

As published in The Bartender's Pantry by Jim Meehan and Bart Sasso, this recipe was sourced from Sean Hoard and Daniel Shoemaker of The Commissary in Portland, Oregon. One batch makes about 2 cups.

Ingredients

• 620g (5 cups) fresh or thawed peaches, preferably white and peeled, coarsely chopped
• 3.5g (1 teaspoon) citric acid
• 12 oz (1 ½ cups) simple syrup (see Notes)

Instructions

• To make the peach puree, follow the instructions in the image below, which comes from the book.

Notes

To make simple syrup: In a saucepan, combine white granulated sugar with water in a 1-to-1 ratio. For instance, to make 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) for the peach puree, use 1 cup sugar and 1 cup filtered water in 1-quart saucepan. Set over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let cool, uncovered, before using or storing. 

Source: Adapted from The Bartender's Pantry by Jim Meehan and Bart Sasso with Emma Janzen (2024, Ten Speed Press). 

2 Peachy Cocktail Recipes

With all that peach puree, you can make a classic and nouveau cocktails. For the iconic Bellini, I started with the original by Cipriani, which called for a 1-to-2 ratio of peach puree to prosecco. It was too sweet because my puree had simple syrup! From there, I came up with my own recipe.

Print Recipe

Bellini

Use your DIY peach puree for this and you'll never go wrong. Go with prosecco, cremant, cava, or champagne. You just need a bubbly. Nothing overly complex is required because the peach puree needs to shine. P.S. Because peach blossoms are often part of Lunar New Year celebrations, remember Bellinis when the Asian holiday rolls around.

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: bellini, peach cocktail

Servings: 1

Equipment

• 1 chilled champagne flute

Ingredients

• 1 oz Peach Puree (recipe above), plus more as needed
• 3 oz prosecco, cava, cremant, or champagne

Instructions

• Pour the peach puree into the chilled champagne flute. Slowly pour in the bubbly of choice. Stir gently then taste. Add more peach puree if needed, to create a peachy finish that's not too sweet.

Notes

My 1-to-3 ratio of puree to bubbly gives you ample wiggle room to hedge against the differences with different kinds of bubbly. 

Print Recipe

Windowsill Spritz

A refreshing take on the Bellini, this cocktail by Sean Hoard was published in The Bartender’s Pantry by Jim Meehan and Bart Sasso with Emma Jansen (2024 Ten Speed Press). I’ve edited the original recipe to allow for off-label wine and spirits. Make the orgeat before making this cocktail.

Course: Drinks

Keyword: peach cocktail

Servings: 1

Equipment

• 1 chilled wine glass

Ingredients

• 1 ½ ounces prosecco, cava, champagne, such as Domaine Landrons Atmosphères sparkling wine, chilled
• 1 ½ ounces seltzer or another kind of force-carbonated water chilled
• ¾ ounce vodka, such as Wheatley
• ¾ ounce Peach Purée (recipe above)
• ¾ ounce Orgeat (recipe linked above and below in Notes)
• Dash of absinth, such as St. George (optional)
• Ice, preferably cracked or pebble
• Nutmeg, freshly grated, for garnish

Instructions

• Add the wine, soda water, vodka, peach purée, orgeat, and absinthe to a chilled wine glass. Add a scoop of ice to the glass and stir gently. Garnish with some freshly grated nutmeg.

Notes

For a superb Orgeat recipe, look no further than here.