Peach Liqueur = Gorgeous Summer Cocktails, Too

Jun 29

Jun 29 Peach Liqueur = Gorgeous Summer Cocktails, Too

The other day, I offered three cocktails using poire liqueur. Next up in my series of beautiful summer cocktails featuring fruit liqueurs from France: Cocktails Using Mathilde Pêche (peach) Liqueur.

How to use Mathilde Peach Liqueur in Cocktails

Before we move on to today’s cocktails, I want to clear one thing up (as someone had a question about it on my Facebook page): Mathilde fruit liqueurs are neither fruit brandies nor fruit eaux-de-vie. The latter are high-proof spirits that that can be fruity in flavor, but are never really that sweet. The Mathilde fruit liqueurs are not only lower in alcohol, they’re also sweeter than brandies and eaux-de-vie.

Which leads me the best way to use fruit liqueurs in in cocktails …

How to Use Fruit Liqueurs in Cocktails

You know the the basic elements to a classic three-ingredient classic cocktail right? They are:

• Two parts spirit (e.g. tequila in a margarita)
• One part something tart or sour (e.g., lime juice in a margarita)
• One part something sweet (e.g., triple sec in a margarita)

When you’re using fruit liqueurs to create a cocktail, use them as the “sweet” component to this classic three-ingredient formula. With the exception of the spritz or Champagne cocktails (other breeds entirely), this is (more or less) how I’ve been using these fruit liqueurs in cocktail recipes, and they’ve been divine.

So — here are the four best cocktails using Mathilde Pêche Liqueur.

Lemony Peach Margarita

Can a cocktail really be called a margarita if it doesn’t have lime juice or triple sec/Cointreau? Maybe not. But here, I’ve taken the margarita template and created a cocktail using Mathilde Pêche Liqueur instead of the usual orange liqueur angle, and fresh lemon juice instead of lime juice, and I love it.

For each cocktail:
1.5 ounces white tequila
1 ounce Mathilde Pêche Liqueur
.75 ounce fresh lemon juice
Citrus peel

Combine all ingredients except the citrus peel in a shaker and cover with ice. Shake well and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.

P.S.: I also tried this with fresh lime juice, and it was very good. I just liked the lemon juice version better. It was more off the beaten path (and more tart, too). And, incidentally, I gave this a go with Mathilde Poire (pear) liqueur + lemon juice. Another winner.

Dame Blanche au Pêche (White Lady Cocktail with Peach Liqueur)

The other day, when I was writing about cocktails with pear liqueur, I shared the Dame Blanche au Poire (White Lady with Pear Liqueur). It should come as no surprise that the peach version of this is just as good—better, of course, if you like pêche more than poire. Here it is again, with just a simple modification.

Note: In summer, I prefer this on the rocks.

Dame Blanche au Pêche (White Lady Cocktail with Peach Liqueur)

1 1/2 ounces gin (I’ve been enjoying Citadelle)
1 ounce peach liqueur, such as Mathilde Pêche Liqueur de France (not peach brandy)
3/4 ounce lemon juice
Citrus peel garnish

Place the gin, liqueur, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Cover with ice; cover the shaker and shake vigorously until well-chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe or small tulip glass. Garnish with a citrus peel. Note: If you like a longer-lasting drink, serve in a rocks glass over ice, as I often do.

Kir or Kir Royale au Pêche

By now, everyone who knows anything about France probably knows about the Kir (white wine + crème de cassis) and the Kir Royale (sparking wine + crème de cassis). The liqeur sweetens the wine for a great apéritif.

Sweet you say? Yes. That’s the apèritif’s modus operandi. You see, something viscous and lightly sweet (but with intrigue) stimulates the appetite better than, say, a light, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc or other super-dry wine. Or Champagne, for that matter. Those can sit sourly in the stomach.

But remember, crème de cassis is not the only pony in the Kir rodeo. The French very often use other fruit- or even nut-flavored liqueurs in kirs, such as liqueur de mûres (blackberry) liqueur de framboise (raspberry), crème de Chaitagne (chestnut liqueur)—and à propos to today’s article—liqueur de pêche.

Using pêche (peach) liqueur makes for a glorious take on the Kir or Kir Royale.

Simply pour about a tablespoon or two (to your taste) of the liqueur de pêche into a flute or tulip glass and fill it up with sparkling wine.

Peach-Elderflower Spritz

I’ll say it again: What’s good for the poire is great for the pêche. That is, the other day, I made a low-alcohol cocktail that uses poire liqueur and elderflower tonic for an beautiful and refreshing sip. I tried the exact same formula with the peach liqueur, and — no surprise — it’s divine: an amazing swirl of floral-fruit flavors.

Simply pour about a tablespoon of Mathilde Pêche (peach) Liqueur into a tall wine glass. Fill with ice and top off with tonic. Garnish with any fresh fruits you might have around.

P.S.: While I’m loving Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic in this, if you want your cocktail to be more about the peach liqueur flavors, use Fever Tree Refreshingly Light Tonic, as it will let more of the liqueur’s flavors come through. Incidentally, I also tried this cocktail simply using sparkling water, and it was pleasant, but honestly, the combo of pear and Elderflower Tonic is sublime.

That’s it for today! Next up will be the Mathilde Framboise Liqueur….hmmm…..Any ideas on how to make this fruit liqueur into a beautiful cocktail? If so, please share!

A bientôt!

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