There used to be a popular saying in the hospitality corridors back when I used to work the floor shifts, “If you want to run a restaurant efficiently, get a German chef and a French Maitre d’hote, but if you really want the guests to have a great experience, hire Italians!”
Without making this a stereotypical statement on cultural dynamics, one can’t but help agree that the Italians do exude a certain charm in their way of living. From the way they dress to the cars (or boats) they drive, even their scooters are sexy in a very old school manner. And, more pertinently to this column, another field where this approach is quite apparent is in their food and drink. Pauper or prince, everyone eats well in Italy, and the drinks are versatile—from cocktails to wines and even digestives, they certainly do have it all.
Once again, don’t get me wrong; this week we aren’t deriding all that isn’t Italian, merely suggesting that it’s a different way of doing things. My formative years were spent in France, so, naturally I veer towards all things French when it comes to ‘second nature’ and yet, even I wouldn’t shy away from admitting that the Italian approach to the good life is a trademark unto itself.
One brand which has recently entered India encapsulates this essence inimitably so. Bellini. And not just any Bellini but the classic OG, made with white Venetian peach puree mixed in with some Prosecco sparkling wine from the delimited area of production.
Why the name Bellini? Well, Giuseppe Cipriani, who concocted the first one at Harry’s Bar in Venice, saw the likeness in shade to that of a toga of a Saint in a painting by Giovanni Bellini, a local artist from the 15th century.
Today, the drink is the real breakfast of champions. In fact, to borrow from an old quip, Bellini is a good reason to even wake up in time for breakfast. It’s a great all-day drink and easy to make. But what’s even easier is pouring it straight out of a bottle, pre-mixed in the just the right proportions.
Canella, a major producer of Prosecco, took upon this challenge and recreated the original recipe in a bottle —two parts Prosecco, one part peach juice pulp, and a few drops of raspberry juice for just that right tinge of flavour and colour. There are no artificial flavours or colourings and no added sugar which makes it better than most other premixed drinks out there. The bottle advises you to turn it over once gently to mix the pulp up in case it has been sitting on the shelf for long.
Personally I found the emulsion smoothly made and there was no issue with the settling of the pulp even after keeping for a few weeks in the fridge and then opening and serving it up straight.
The bottle clocks in at 5% alcohol which makes it super light and breezy, ideal as a sundowner, or, as I said earlier, for breakfast.
It’s available in Delhi, Haryana (well, Gurgaon), Goa, Karnataka (well, Bangalore) and soon, Rajasthan and costs no more than a basic bottle of Prosecco. So, all in all, it can be a great way to kick-start a party or keep it going, without the need of a bartender to do the concocting consistently.
And maybe then, as you take in that sunset from the deck of your yacht, or let your eyes lazily scan the city skyline from a vertigo-inducing rooftop, you will get a draft of that Italian Dolce Vita.
The writer is a sommelier