This Is The Difference Between Mimosas And Bellinis

Fruity alcoholic drinks that come in champagne flutes are a brunch staple — however, the differences between the types can be confusing. The two most popular of these are mimosas and Bellinis.

Mimosas are probably the most classic brunch drink, and interestingly, it has two origin stories. The first is that the mimosa was originally created in 1921 at Buck's Club in London where it was called Buck's Fizz. There, bartender Pat McGarry made a drink with two parts orange juice and one part Champagne. He may have also used a splash of grenadine (via Art of Drink).

The French version was created in 1925 at the Hotel Ritz in Paris. The bartender, Frank Meyer, began making mimosas using equal parts Champagne and orange juice. The drink was named after a yellow flower that was common in French gardens (via On Foodie Trail).

To make a classic mimosa, combine sparkling wine with orange juice. Some recipes will call for Champagne, while others will call for prosecco. To add a little something more to your mimosa, also add Cointreau or triple sec.

A Bellini is an Italian cocktail named after the 15th-century artist Giovanni Bellini and was created by Giuseppe Cipriani at Harry's Bar in Venice in 1934. It is also extremely simple to prepare. It is sparkling wine with peach puree. Prosecco is the sparkling wine that is traditionally used in Bellinis (via Total Wine & More).

If you don't have peach puree on hand, remove the skin from a peach, slice it into quarters, and put it in a blender. To prevent the peach from browning, add lemon juice or a teaspoon of sugar to the puree.

There are many variations on both drinks. For example, you can substitute grapefruit juice instead of orange juice to have a more tart mimosa (via A Classic Twist). There is also no need to get hung up on using Champagne or prosecco. Some mimosas get made with rose, creating another subtle twist. While purists may insist on specific types of sparkling wine, either drink can be enjoyed with whatever sparkling wine you have on hand.