I love to whip up a specialty cocktail for a special dinner party so the other evening I made a simple mixture of peaches, fresh mint, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur and a crack of fresh pepper for an interesting base to celebratory Champagne cocktails.  Just using a spoonful in each of the cocktails that night we took the leftovers and made cocktails all weekend, adding Bombay Sapphire East Gin one night, Art in the Age Rhubarb Liqueur another and Skyy Vanilla Infusions Vodka the next.  Each fresh and herbal, lively and ideal to awaken the palate…just in time for the start of Spring tomorrow.

Recipe:

Peach-Mint Cocktails
For the base –
Ingredients:
1/2 cup St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1 can of sliced peaches in light syrup
1 tablespoon fresh mint, roughly chopped
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch freshly ground pepper

Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth.  Pour into a container with a lid, seal and refrigerate until chilled. Add one or two heaping tablespoons to the bottom of a glass for each cocktail.

Top with Cava for Champagne cocktails,  or add ice and 1 ounce of gin or vodka and top with club soda and garnish with a sprig of mint.