What do you get when you puree a delicious, succulent peach and marry it with a lovely dry Prosecco? A glorious tasting Fresh Peach Bellini, the perfect complement to a warm summer evening. We kept our puree a bit thick (not unlike the consistency of baby food – in fact, the puree itself would make great baby food!) as we wanted to retain all the sweet and juicy flavors of the fruit. The result was an almost smoothie-like beverage (for an adult, that is!). Frothy and refreshing! Just another great way to use all those scrumptious peaches that are now in season.

Other tasty peach recipes to tickle the tongue:

Dana McCauley’s Food Blog: Peach and Tomato Salad
Julie Jam’s Delicious Summer Peach Crisp
Whisk’s Honey-Peach Ice Cream
Cafe Fernando’s Peach Tart With Almonds and Maple Syrup
Patty’s Pantry Peach Salsa

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I’d written before about The 44 after being inspired by a March 2008 article about the drink in Saveur. But soon after we packed it up and moved back to Seattle, so I never actually completed the process and thus, had nothing to share with you. Shortly after Christmas – and after our liquor cabinet was depleted from the holiday festivities – I decided to embark on the rum-infusing journey once more and stocked up on the required ingredients.

Let’s take a little trip down “cordial” lane…

The 44 is a popular rum-infused beverage originally made in Madagascar. It gets its name from the process in which its made as well as the number of days it “brews.” In the Madagascan version an orange is pierced forty-four times to allow the juices to release, then forty-four coffee beans are shoved into the slits. The orange is then placed in white rum and set to rest for, you got it, forty-four days.

I decided to make the French version of this drink, called the Quarante Quatre, which calls for forty-four whole cloves in place of the coffee beans. Within days the color of the rum began to darken and the orange and cloves became more fragrant. We left the jar out on the counter to enjoy the changes in coloration and to every-now-and-then open the lid to smell the sweet aromas.

After patiently waiting for forty-four long days we opened the jar and poured ourselves a small cordial.

The Quarante Quatre
This recipe is so good I recommend doubling it, like we did.

1 liter white rum
1 Navel orange
44 whole cloves
44 teaspoons of sugar (optional)

Deeply pierce the orange with a paring knife 44 times. Stuff the cloves into the slits and skin of the orange. Place the orange in a large widemouthed jar (that has a tight seal) and add one liter of white rum. Add 44 teaspoons of sugar, seal and store in a cool dark place for 44 days.

Note: we opted for a non-sugar version and it is still very tasty!

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It’s time for a tiki party!

Every now and then we love going to Trader Vic’s in Palo Alto. If you are unfortunate enough to have never frequented this legendary establishment, then put it on your list. Trader Vics’ are swanky Polynesian restaurant/bars that make you feel like you went back in time and found yourself on a tropical island. From San Francisco to Dubai, Trader Vics’ are complete with all sorts of tribal gear, tiki heads, jungle flora and a plethora of other carefully coordinated tropical decór. Bartenders sporting Hawaiian shirts mix up fruity rum and other potent cocktails that at once curl your hair and knock off your flip-flops.

Our favorite concoction is the “Suffering Bastard.” And let me tell you, more than two of these and you will be a suffering bastard, so make sure you load up on the pupu platters. This beverage makes a Mai Tai seem like amateur stuff.

Suffering Bastard

2 ounces dark rum
1 ounce silver rum
3 ounces Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Mix
1/2 ounce lime juice
Cucumber slice for garnish
1 sprig of mint for garnish

Put ice in a shaker and add the rums, Mai Tai Mix, lime juice, then shake. Without straining pour liquid into chilled double old-fashioned glasses. Slice the ends off of a cucumber, preferably English, then cut lengthwise into quarters. Scrape the seeds out and score the pulp side in a criss-cross pattern. Garnish each glass with a quarter slice of cucumber (half if it’s a small cuke) and a sprig of mint.

Stay tuned for another of my Trader Vic’s favorites: Bongo Bongo soup.

Drink slowly…

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