Callie Crossley's Summer Drink Recipes

The Upscale Bellini

2-3 white peaches

Sparkling wine or Champagne

Slice up the peaches and puree them in a blender. Fill up a champagne flute with about two ounces of the peach puree. Top with sparkling wine (or champagne). Garnish with a peach slice or berries and enjoy!

A Not-so-fancy Bellini

1 ounce peach nectar

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 ounce peach schnapps liqueur

1/4 cup crushed ice

Chilled sparkling wine

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker and give it your best shake. Pour into a chilled glass and finish it off with dry sparkling wine. Simply wondrous, especially on a hot humid day.

The D'Artagnan

1 tsp Brandy

1 tsp Grand Marnier

3 tsps fresh squeezed orange juice (save some of the peel for garnish)

1/2 tsp simple syrup (a mixture of 1 part water and 1 part sugar, boiled until it makes a clear syrup)

In a portable container, mix the Brandy, Grand Marnier, orange juice and simple syrup. Pour into a chilled glass and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with strips of orange peel and indulge!

Summer Tip: To chill glasses at a picnic, simply bring along a bucket, water and ice. Once you unpack your picnic basket and are all set to eat, do what I call a quick on-the-picnic-blanket chill by dipping the glasses in and out of the icy water.

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