Billy!!!!!

As you know, for both of my pregnancies, I had reflux so badly that I had to give up on many of my favorite foods (Mama Lil's, peanut butter, Indian food!). With June, the reflux vanished a few days after she popped out. With HJ, however, it persisted. So much so that many of the pregnancy-forbidden and soon-to-be-enjoyed edible pleasures that help women get through the pain of childbirth (sushi, camembert, HUGE glasses of wine) I STILL couldn’t tolerate, even when maxed out on all of the over-the-counter medications. But, finally, pregnancies and breast-feeding well behind me, I saw my internist and got a script meant to smash my symptoms to bits.

Why am I telling you this? Cause the party is back on, baby, and just in time for summer!

I guess it says something kind of sad about me that I am basically taking medication so that I can devote myself to summertime cocktails and rose without so much as a hiccup. But, as I’ve mentioned in prior letters, I’m definitely more fun with a drink in my hand.

I love the article you recently sent me, discussing the art of “session” drinks and basically re-endorsing the 80s classic, The Spritzer. Yay. Because, if we are being honest (and unafraid to admit that sometimes we put ice cubes in our wine), those things are damn good. Enter in my fabulous husband, who feels it is his mission in life to achieve a different “perfect” drink on a near nightly basis and, well, cocktail-hour may have just changed to cocktail-the-whole-night.

Coming off of a peach binge at our local famer’s market last Saturday, I had a bunch moving past prime and needed to do something with them fast. Tygh suggested we add them, somehow, to a drink. Man, I love that guy. Peach syrup was born. Soon after, so was T's take on a spritzer. Ahhh...so gulpable, you can even take your meds with one.

Peachy Bourbon Spritzer

Makes two drinks

1 shot bourbon

1/2 shot peach syrup (recipe below)

Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 Tblsp)

4 - 6 oz club soda, divided (more or less to taste)

Sparkling wine

Shake first three ingredients together with ice. Split between two wine glasses. Top each with 2-3 oz club soda, then enough sparkling wine to fill the glasses about 2/3 full. Drink. Repeat at least once.

Peach Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2-3 small, or 1-2 large peaches, sliced, skin on

1 tsp lemon juice

Bring water and sugar to light simmer, add in peaches, smashing a bit. Lower heat and cover, simmering for 30-40 minutes, until slightly reduced and smelling of sweet peaches. Add lemon juice and let cool a bit. Strain, discarding solids. Syrup keeps in fridge for about 2 weeks, even longer in freezer!