Celebrate stonefruit season – and the end of this crazy old year – with a classy wee cocktail.

There’s nothing quite like celebrating with an elegant cocktail and given that 2019 is drawing to a close, and peaches are now at their best, what better reason to get into the kitchen and rustle up these blushing peach bellinis! Have a wonderful holiday wherever you might be in the world, and may 2020 be filled with good health, love, peace and happiness.

PEACH BELLINI

Serves 5-6

• 6 peaches
• 50g sugar
• 1 lemon
• 1 bottle sparkling wine/champagne

Start this recipe the night before you serve it. Remove the stones from the peaches and cut into chunks. Put into a saucepan along with the sugar and cook for 15 minutes with the lid on until soft. 

Peel 4 or 5 thick strips of lemon zest from the lemon and add this to the peaches. Put in the fridge and leave overnight. 

When ready to serve, push the peaches through a sieve into a bowl. Save the pulp and stir it into bircher muesli or eat with yoghurt. Fill a champagne glass one-third full of the peach syrup then carefully top up with sparkling wine/champagne. Serve immediately.