Drinking in Venice

How did you get people like Ernest Hemingway and Charlie Chaplin to sit still?

Giuseppe Cipriani, the founder of Harry’s Bar, created the atmosphere that was convivial for their relaxation with his creation, "The Bellini cocktail". His inspiration for a drink, for his customers, came from the best of the area’s local ingredients. He settled on the sweeter white fleshed peaches and almost flavourless sparkling Prosecco. He mixed the white peach and Prosecco then simply grated in a little of the peach’s red skin to turn the mixture pink. He named it after Giovanni Bellini, the famous Venetian painter, and the cocktail became famous and synonymous with Harry’s Bar.

Whilst you are sitting and enjoying our Venice collection. We thought we could help spirit yourself to Harry’s bar from home as we all can’t get to Venice for an original at the moment!

So here is how to make the original Giuseppe Cipriani Bellini:

What’s required:

-4 Glass tumblers (not champagne flutes)

-Cocktail shaker

-Cheese grater

-A collection of paintings of Venice

Ingredients:

-Prosecco not Cava or Champagne

-6 White fleshed peaches (or a bottle of fresh white peach puree)

Preparation:

-Peel and stone the peaches.

-Save the skin.

-Gently puree the flesh.

-Chill the Prosecco.

-Open computer.

Method:

-Put two tablespoons of the white peach puree into the cocktail shaker.

-Top up the shaker with the chilled Prosecco and stir until mixed.

-Grate a little of the red part of the peach skin into the mixture until it turns a pale pink.

A quick shake and pour into a larger glass tumbler and enjoy the art on the screen!