This past weekend my cousin came to visit me from D.C. for a few days—I wanted to serve up an elegant cocktail that I could also use as a base for my kids who are well underage.
I had just gone to the farmer’s market and bought some of the most delicious fresh peaches, which are in season. This drink mix is incredibly easy to prepare and supersedes whatever pre-mix you might find at a grocery store.
If you want to enhance this drink further, you could make strawberry ice cubes. Simply dice up some fresh strawberries set them in an ice tray (only about halfway up) and pour in a little crisp apple juice. Freeze and serve a few fancy ice cubes in your drink.
Summer Peach-Strawberry Spritz
Makes 4 about drinks
2 fresh ripe peaches, seeds removed and quartered
8 large strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/4 cup sugar
1 bottle Prosecco (or sparkling apple cider for non-alcoholic version)
3 shots of brandy or to your taste (or omit this for non-alcoholic version)
8 ounces ginger ale
1 lime, sliced into wedges
In a saucepan combine the peaches, strawberries, sugar and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil to soften the fruit. Reduce the heat to a lazy boil and let it cook for about 20 minutes. Stirring occasionally and pressing the fruit into the water. When the fruit is soft, turn off the heat and set it aside for a few minutes to cool.
With a sieve perched over a wide mouth measuring cup (you’ll need the 4-cup size) or a bowl, pour the juice mixture through the sieve. With a flexible spatula, press the fruit into the sieve, squeezing all the juicefrom it while capturing the skins. Occasionally, scrape the pulp which usually clings to the undersize of the sieve into the measuring cup / bowl. Continue pressing the fruit through the sieve until you don’t see any more juice going through. Give the underside one more good scrape to make sure you got all the pulp.
Transfer the juice mixture into a pitcher and add the Prosecco, brandy and ginger ale. Give it a good mix. Taste and correct. Serve in fancy glasses with ice (or strawberry ice) and a lime wedge.
Note: You can use a standing blender or immersion blender to blend up the fruit (skins included) however you will get some foam. I think it tastes okay; however, it doesn’t look quite as elegant.
