Sparkling rosemary-peach Bellini

There’s no end to what you can do with fresh peaches—from pies to tarts to jams and glazes, it’s a versatile fruit that serves well with many a summer dish. Of course, they’re a classic ingredient in many cocktails as well, and with good reason—their sweet but mild flavor mixes well with almost any alcohol. This recipe for the classic peach-flavored cocktail the Bellini makes good use of the fresh peaches at your disposal this time of year, and also adds a woodsy note of rosemary to give it a distinctive twist.

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 (3-inch) rosemary sprig
2 ripe, peeled peaches, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (750-milliliter) bottle Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled

1. Combine first three ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Strain rosemary syrup in a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Cover and chill at least one hour.
2. Place rosemary syrup and peaches in a blender and process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; cover and chill at least four hours. Spoon about two tablespoons peach syrup into each of eight Champagne flutes, and top each serving with about 1/3 cup Champagne. (Recipe courtesy myrecipes.com)