The Bellini Cocktail

Nearly 30 years ago we spent our honeymoon in Venice—late fall so there were brilliant blue skies and daily flooding in the Piazza San Marco which meant that our first purchase as a married couple was matching Wellington boots.  We made it our business to visit every bacari we could find—those small tucked away tapas bars unique to Venice—but we also made Harry’s Bar a regular stop. We had the good sense to buy these Bellini glasses from Harry’s to bring home—our second purchase as a married couple.  Harry’s has a long list of house cocktails, including the Doge’s Cup (which is like an Italian Pimm’s Cup but made with red wine) but the real star of the show in the Bellini which is simply Prosecco and white peach purée. You can use yellow peaches or even frozen peaches but white peaches are what you get in a Harry’s Bar Bellini. You can add a drop or two of peach liqueur (we like Rinquinquin) but really it is the simplicity of the two ingredients and the seasonality of the fresh peaches that makes this drink so unique. If you order one Bellini at Harry's Bar in Venice, it will set you back about $25.