Alex makes

Peach Bellini

                                                                                                 Reputedly invented by Giuseppe Cipriani in

                                                                                                 1948 and the chief reason for Harry’s Bar’s

                                                                                                 subsequent fame. There is a considerable

                                                                                                 amount of trouser talk about how good Harry’s

                                                                                                 Bar in St Marco is but personally I’d leave it to

                                                                                                 the Americans and go to Trattoria Corte Sconta

                                                                                                 or Cantina do Mori. If you do feel tempted, drop

                                                                                                 in at Harry’s for a Bellini Pesca  just to feel

                                                                                                 smug and see the sun go down over the lagoon.

                                                                                                 As a cocktail barman at University this is my

                                                                                                 recipe.

5 ripe white Mediterranean peaches

handful of raspberries (optional)

50g Tate & Lyle cane caster sugar

150-200g boiling water

1 vanilla pod

1 Sardinian or Sicilian lemon

1 bottle Martini Prosecco or Aldi Prosecco Valdobbiadene

6 chilled champagne flutes

A day or two ahead, pick a nice peach and use a sharp knife round the circumference to cut down to the stone. Twist off one half gently and remove the stove from the other half then slice each half into 3 or 4 pieces and freeze on a tray wrapped in two bags to prevent freezer burn. These will go in the Bellini when served.

Meanwhile, make a syrup from 50g caster sugar and 150 ml boiling water (the secret is to dissolve the sugar then reduce it). Add a vanilla pod and lemon zest strips. Stir until dissolved then reduce by about half. As the syrup reduces poach 4 stoned and quartered peaches until softened, then remove from the syrup, cool, then purée until smooth with with a handful of raspberries using an electric hand blender, adding a little syrup if the mixture needs thinning slightly.

Fill a champagne flute with the purée until a third full, add a slice or two of frozen peach per glass and top with chilled Prosecco to serve.

Strawberry Bellini

As above but rub a few fresh strawberries through a sieve and serve with a splash of crème de fraise and Prosecco.

Bicicletta

I gained a taste for Bicilcletta in the Bar Centrale in Cisternino in Puglia. Dead simple to make it brings back the Summer evenings and watching the world go by.

30cl Campari, chilled

70cl white wine - Falanghina, Pecorino, or most white wine from Puglia

1 lemon, sliced

Slice the lemon. Mix Campari and white wine. Served in white wine glasses with ice cubes and a slice of lemon.

Aperol Spritz

Aperol is a herbal digestivo found all over Italy - great for perking you up with just soda since it is mildly alcoholic - which makes a great cocktail drink when mixed with equal amounts of prosecco with a splash of sparkling spring water like Ferrarelle or Lidl's cheap and very good sparkling springwater. Aperol is now available from Tesco or through Squisito funnily enough!

1 orange, sliced

Aperol

Prosecco Valdobbiadene

sparkling mineral water

Squisito will be at

Kings Norton Christmas Market 5-9pm Thursday 20th, Moseley Farmers Market 9-2pm on Saturday 22nd December or Mac Arts Centre Food Market 10-4pm on Sunday 23rd December or home delivery anytime.

Call Sara please on 07824 314 235

to place your order