If you saw the Progressive Dinner Party (we’re calling it Progressive Eats) that I did with friends the other day you would have noticed that I made a Peach Melba Pavlova; a dessert that is layers of baked meringue, whipping cream and fruit; in this instance peaches and raspberries. Peaches and raspberries are just meant to be together and I love them in so many ways. Peach ice cream with raspberries is great as it vanilla ice cream with both fruits and of course that pavlova was ‘the bomb.’ A seriously decadent dessert. Still, after all was said and done and I had my photos I had to get help eating it or I would seriously have had it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One of my new neighbors is not big on dessert so after dishing out slices to everyone, a bit later that night I decided to make him this Peach Melba and Bourbon Cocktail using the same elements I had put into the dessert. Oh. My. Bourbon, peaches, brown sugar simple syrup and raspberries are the major players but a bit of some raspberry and peach liqueur did not hurt one little bit!
If you have seen my lament of the early use of the ‘P’ word (please don’t make me say it!) you will know that I am SO not over summer. I want peaches for crying out loud; not that other round orange thing…and so peaches it is and really, in my mind, the BEST peaches ever. Our peaches that come from the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains are so eagerly anticipated each year. Warm days and cool nights might not make for the amazing tomatoes of my youth but I’ve never EVER had such sweet, juicy peaches anywhere, ever. I think I might be turning slightly orangish pink and my skin has a light fuzz I’ve eaten so many!
Colorado is actually quite the agriculture state even if most people only know us for one thing. Skiing. Do yourself a favor and come here in the summer. (Do you hear me Eva and Joe?). Warm days and cool nights, hiking, biking, river rafting and more are just a small part of the summer sports mecca that is Colorado. If you are not into sports then come for the peaches and the corn (which benefits from those very same conditions). Heaven is a bushel of corn for dinner followed by another bushel of peaches for dessert. It’s true, those conditions do not make for the tomatoes of my home state of Missouri but it’s a good trade. (Again Eva and Joe; bring tomatoes too, please?).
I was invited to join the Governor of Colorado, John Hickenlooper, his staff and a roomful of food and media people from Denver for a luncheon this week; the food we had was so amazing that I was even impressed with the breadth of great products from Colorado. I’ll cover that event soon but I do believe a cheering section formed when we saw dessert was Palisades Peaches; guess they knew better than to mess with constituents; there is simply nothing like them. Come to Denver, I’ll show you!
More of a smoothly actually than a cocktail; it it so much better than Kale. Promise. I was too tired that night to visit so I just called Kevin and he came down for pickup. I do believe I heard them slurping from afar. That’s OK in summer with peaches this good. I know this for a fact.
Ingredients
- 1 large, ripe peach
- 3 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 4-6 Tbsp brown sugar syrup (boil 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 cup of brown sugar until sugar dissolves. Add 1/4 cup ice cubes and stir. Remove from pan and let sit for a bit if still warm; you will have extra which you can refrigerate)
- 2 oz Grand Marnier (I had their Signature bottle of peach and raspberry but use orange if not available)
- 4 oz bourbon
- Sparkling soda
- Peach slices and raspberries for garnish
Preparation
- Combine all ingredients up to sparkling soda in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour one-half of mixture into a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, remove lid and pour into tall glass; leaving room at the top to finish with soda.
- Top with sparkling soda and stir.
- Garnish with peach slices and raspberries.
- Repeat for 2nd cocktail.
