Skip to main content

Food styling by Victoria Walsh.Andrew Grinton/The Globe and Mail

This tiki-style drink is a cocktail riff on Peach Melba, the traditional dessert (named after Australian soprano Nellie Melba) combining peach, raspberry and often almonds as well. Fresh fruit is used in the syrup base for the drink. The addition of oregat lends the almond flavour.

Cocktail

1 oz white rum

1 oz amber rum such as Havana

Club Anejo Reserva

1 oz strained, freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 oz Melba Syrup (see recipe)

1/4 oz oregat syrup

A handful of ice cubes

Mint sprig, fresh raspberries and peach slices, optional lavender sprig

Crushed ice

Melba Syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 peach, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

1 long thick strip of orange peel

Method

For the cocktail, pour all ingredients except ice and garnishes into a shaker. Add ice cubes. Shake until chilled. Using a hawthorne strainer, pour into a Collins or tiki glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with herb sprigs and skewered raspberries and peach.

For the syrup, add ingredients to a small saucepan. Set over medium-low heat. Simmer until sugar is dissolved and fruit softens slightly. Stir often, gently mashing fruit. Remove from heat. Store in a mason jar in the fridge for 6 hours, allowing flavours to infuse. Strain through several layers of cheesecloth into a resealable jar. Gently squeeze fruit, releasing access juices. Strained Melba Syrup will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for at least 1 week. Makes 1 2/3 cups (400 ml) for at least two dozen Melba Mai Tais.

Interact with The Globe