Somewhat wine related: the Bellini cocktail

I had a reservation for lunch at 1:00 PM at an Arbor Restaurant Friday but stopped in at Vinology about 12:20 to have a quick glass of wine or cocktail. I ended up ordering a Bellini with peach nectar and Prosecco. The bartender came out to tell me that Bellini grows their own peaches and makes their own Prosecco for this drink. I was sceptical that he was blowing smoke as I was pretty sure Bellini was a generic name for the cocktail and not the name of an Italian farmer/winemaker. In discussing it with Alyce and Robert Stark, Bob said he thought the drink originated at Harry's Bar or at least in Venice. He was dead on according to Wikipedia:

"The Bellini was invented sometime between 1934 and 1948[1][2][3][4] by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy. Because of its unique pink color, which reminded Cipriani of the color of the toga of a saint in a painting by 15th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini, he named the drink the Bellini."

Anyway, the drink was nicely peachy and a pleasant libation, especially in summer.

I thought the original Bellini was made with white peaches. Would they still have a "pink" color? Or is that why it isn't a orange/yellow color?

I have tried to make these at home and had them in Venice. Somehow the consistency is never quite right. They always seem a little too thick. In what type of glass was yours served?

Perfect pre-luncheon drink.

I had not heard of this drink, JC. It sounds really nice for a hot/humid Maryland on the deck. I'll make one for Liz and me this weekend; the Prosecco's already in the cooler.

I thought the original Bellini was made with white peaches. Would they still have a "pink" color? Or is that why it isn't a orange/yellow color?

I understand a little raspberry juice was added to give a pink tint.

I researched the Bellini for an article I wrote some years ago in which I said

'So why did it take until 1934 to invent the drink? Because getting juice from a peach is nowhere as easy squeezing juice from an orange. I think that it is no co-incidence that the newly invented electric blender was first sold just two years previously. It enabled peaches to be juiced easily and quickly enough for a popular fashionable bar to use.'

I understand Cipriani brought back to Italy an electric blender from a trip to the USA

Interesting about blender, Peter.
I haven't done it in years, but my favorite Bellini recipe was to put about (I eyeballed, this is guessing from memory) 2 teaspoons of pureed peach (very ripe or frozen), a dash (teaspoon or so) of eau-de-vie de peche, then the prosecco.

I understand Cipriani brought back to Italy an electric blender from a trip to the USA

Where did he find the voltage converter and plug adapter?!

Where did he find the voltage converter and plug adapter?!

Good point Bill.

The plug isn't an issue, you just put the correct plug on (did US electrical equipment come with plugs attached in the 1920's? It was only recently they do in UK).

The glass it was served in at Vinology was a champagne glass--the kind with wide bowl rather than narrow flute or tulip shape.