Featured Recipe
Peach-Verveine Kir
By Kate
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Light cocktail with fruity notes, mixing sparkling wine with a fresh herb twist and a homemade peach syrup. The syrup blends fresh or thawed peaches with sugar and water, simmered briefly and chilled before straining. Sparkling wine gets a splash of syrup, topped with lemon balm or verveine for a zesty herbal aroma.
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Prep:
20 min
Cook:
7 min
Total:
27 min
Serves:
4 servings
cocktail
summer drink
peach
herbal infusion
Introduction
Sparklers meet sunshine fruit. Peaches simmered into syrup with a scaled sugar and water mix. Chill it down good. Sparkling wine—choice here—gets dressed up gently. Lemon balm thrown in for a lift, a green zing to cut sweet. Quick steps, no fuss, little waits. A drink that nods to classic kir but strays fancy. Easy flavor swap if you want. No eggs no dairy no nuts or gluten. A bright, easy pour for friends or solo moments in sunspots.
Ingredients
Peach Syrup
- 2/3 peach, pitted and quartered or 65 g frozen peaches thawed
- 40 g sugar
- 45 ml water
- 450 ml sparkling wine or prosecco
- 4 small sprigs fresh lemon verbena or lemon balm
Kir
About the ingredients
Use ripe but firm peaches for best flavor and least mush. Frozen peaches save time, thaw fully first. Sugar can be half raw or cane for rustic notes. Water adjusts syrup thickness; less water thickens, more thins. Choose sparkling dry to crisp sweetness balance. Lemon verbena is sharper than lemon balm – both fresh, aromatic. Verveine is subtle and citrusy; swap in mint or basil for herbal twists. Keep syrup refrigerated sealed. Adjust sweetness to mood or fruit ripeness.
Method
Peach Syrup
- 1. Bring peaches, sugar, and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Lower heat and simmer gently 4 minutes.
- 2. Remove from heat. Cool down at room temperature 10 minutes. Transfer to fridge until fully cold, about 50 minutes.
- 3. Strain through fine sieve without pressing fruit, get clear syrup. Store sealed in fridge up to 8 days.
- 4. Pour sparkling wine into champagne flutes, about 110 ml each glass.
- 5. Add 10-25 ml peach syrup per flute, depending on taste.
- 6. Garnish each with fresh lemon verbena sprig. Serve immediately.
Kir
Technique Tips
Simmer peaches short—don’t overdo or syrup gets bitter. Cooling fully is key for clean strain. Avoid squeezing pulp to prevent cloudiness. Flutes: fill no more than half, syrup follows, stir lightly if needed. Herbal garnish fresh to release oils but not bruise. Serve straight away for bubbles and aroma at peak. Adjust syrup quantity to taste, less syrup for dry preference. Experiment with herbs: mint replaced lemon balm fine. Plan chilling times to prep ahead, minimize line waiting.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Choose ripe peaches. Firm ones work best. Frozen ones save prep time. Thaw fully. Adjust sugar. Less for tartness. More for sweetness. Peach syrup key.
- 💡 Strain syrup clearly. Don’t press fruit. Avoid bitter flavors. Chill syrup well. Critical for taste. Use dry sparkling wine. Balance sweetness. Good flavor.
- 💡 Experiment with herbs. Lemon verbena sharper. Lemon balm softer. Use both fresh. Get oils from herbs. Bruise a bit, but not too much. That’s the goal.
- 💡 Serve right after mixing. Bubbles pop better. Peacock the garnish. Flutes should be filled halfway. That’s where syrup goes after. Balance is crucial.
- 💡 Adjust syrup amount. Less for dry flavor. More for sweet. Keep syrup sealed and cold. Lasts a week. Experiment; find your mix. Don’t rush, enjoy.
Kitchen Wisdom
What if I can’t find fresh peaches?
Use frozen ones. They work fine. Thaw completely first. Flavor might differ. Still good, not as fresh.
How to store peach syrup?
Keep sealed in fridge. Lasts about a week. Check for changes. Color can vary. Discard if off smell.
Can I switch sparkling wine?
Yes, prosecco or other dry types work. Taste will shift a bit. But maple syrup instead. Sweetness changes.
How to make it less sweet?
Cut syrup amount. Less in each glass. Balance with dry sparkling wine. Adjust to finished taste. Mix it well.
