disclaimer: there are no jellybeans in this cocktail recipe. i just adore that line in grease, and find it hard to say ‘peach’ without adding ‘-y keen jelly bean’ at the end. i’m sure you understand. having said that, i’ve now got the idea of a jelly bean cocktail in my head, and i feel this thought must be revisited soon. hmmm.

back on track, and here is a delightful cocktail i’ve been favouring recently. i’m a lover of refreshing, fruity, yet not overpoweringly sweet drinks (one of my favourites is the strawberry slushie summer cocktail we brought you a few months ago). this peach concoction falls nicely within my requirements.

you will need:

4 peaches

2 tbsp white sugar

1/4 cup of water

3 limes

soda water

vodka

mint and an extra lime wedge or slice to garnish

first, make your puree. wash your peaches, remove the pit and dice them up, leaving the skin on. in a pot on the stove top, combine the peaches, the juice of two limes, water and sugar and simmer for about 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has gone all soft and the liquid syrupy. the peaches will still be somewhat formed but will give way if you press them with your wooden spoon.

pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. i loosen the little pour hole thing on the lid of the blender to allow for steam from the still-warm mixture. once the puree is smooth, put in the fridge to cool completely.

to make your cocktail, add three tbsp of the puree with a shot of vodka in a glass and stir to combine, add a squeeze of lime juice and top up with soda water. garnish with a slice of lime and some mint. cheers!

p.s… my recipe makes far more puree than what is required for a couple of cocktails. i do this on purpose. you can freeze the puree, but i usually leave it in the fridge, and use the gorgeous amber nectar to drizzle over yoghurt, vanilla ice cream, or simply steal spoonfuls as a sweet treat throughout the day as you go about your business. nom nom nom.

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