Peachy keen

Photo courtesy of the Georgia Peach Commission

Sweet, succulent peaches, our official state fruit since 1995, are being celebrated this summer with the Georgia Peach Commission’s “Peach Promise,” in which Georgia residents and local celebrities are pledging their allegiance to the Georgia peach.

By signing the “Peach Promise,” Georgians pledge to purchase Georgia peaches rather than peaches from other states during the summer, an easy task if you shop at the number of farmers markets in Atlanta. Participants can confirm their commitment by signing a peach sticker that will be placed on a tree display, ultimately creating a peach tree, as part of the Children’s Museum’s “Exploring Trees: Inside and Out” exhibit (www.childrensmuseumatlanta.org). Pledgees join the ranks of influential citizens such as Gov. Sonny Perdue, former Secretary of State Cathy Cox, Atlanta Braves superstar Chipper Jones, and radio personalities Mara Davis and Frank Ski. Why shop local? Increased sales in South Carolina, California, and other states show strong competition against our Georgia peach. By pledging to buy Georgia peaches this summer from local peach packers such as Pearson Farms, Taylor Orchards, Lane Southern Orchards and Dickey Farms, Georgians will not only be supporting local farmers, but they will have the chance to enjoy peaches from one of the sweetest and juiciest crops in years. For more information, visit www.gapeaches.org.

LOCAL PEACH FARE
DISH: Georgia peaches, baby spinach, arugula, goat cheese and pecan salad, $8
WHERE: One Midtown Kitchen, 566 Dutch Valley Road NE, 404-892-4111, www.onemidtownkitchen.com

TREAT: Georgia Peaches n’ Cream liquid nitrogen milkshake, $7
WHERE: Flip Burger Boutique, 1587 Howell Mill Road, 404-352-3547, www.flipburgerboutique.com

DRINK: Peach Crusta, house-infused peach brandy with peach puree, Luxardo maraschino liqueur and lemon, and finished with a sugar-crusted rim, $11
WHERE: 30 Tables at the Glenn Hotel, 110 Marietta Street NW, 404-469-0700, www.30tables.com

DRINK: Bellinis with champagne and peach juice, $4
WHERE: Figo Pasta, eight Atlanta area locations, www.figopasta.com

DRINK: Peach tea lemonade with Firefly Sweet Tea vodka, $12
WHERE: BLT Steak, W Atlanta-Downtown, 45 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., 404-577-7601, www.bltrestaurants.com

DRINK: Peach Julep with Bulleit Bourbon, peach puree and mint, $12
WHERE: Pacci Ristorante and AltoRex Rooftop Lounge, 866 West Peachtree St. NW, 678-412-2402, www.pacciatlanta.com.

TREAT: Peach tarte tatin with coffee caramel sauce and peach sorbet, $8
WHERE: Woodfire Grill, 1782 Cheshire Bridge Road, 404-347-9055, www.woodfiregrill.com

DRINK: White peach margarita, a blend of fresh juices and gold tequila with peach nectar, $6.75
WHERE: Marlow’s Tavern, six locations, www.marlowstavern.com SP
Follow me on Twitter @kottpalladino.

Penny pinchers

Got no job? Got no money? We’re here to help
By Kirsten Ott Palladino and Meghan Kotowski

Though gas prices are slowly increasing (a sign that the economy is turning around, say financial experts), the newest figures show that unemployment in Georgia has just hit a staggering 10 percent. In light of this news, we thought we’d help you out a bit by scouring the city for ways to save some Benjamins or stretch your dollar as far as it can go. From dining deals and stylish steals to free shows and cheap cocktails, SP’s got your budget-friendly to-do list in the bank.

1,2, FREE Bliss Atlanta Midtown and Downtown spas reward their frequent customers by giving them the third service free when they buy two of the same services. Now through Sept. 30. www.blissspa.com.

SIP, SHOP, SAVE On Friday, July 24, from 5 p.m. to close at any of the three Sage locations, enjoy a complimentary glass of wine, sip some Smartwater, and save 25 percent on all of your favorite fashionable regularly priced clothing labels. www.sageclothing.com.

HEAD BANGERS Van Michael’s New Talents salons offer cuts starting at $23. Plus, Van Michael gives free bang trims between cuts. www.vanmichael.com.

BACK TO SCHOOL Through Aug. 31, Mint Julep offers 20 percent off for coeds. With your student I.D., you can rack up on fresh looks from schoolgirl faves like Lilly Pulitzer. 326 Pharr Road. 404-814-9155. www.mintjulepga.com.

THE SCRAMBLE GAMBLE Pacci Ristorante’s got a deal for the risk-taker in all of us. On Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through August 30, diners order off a special breakfast menu. At the end of your meal, a Pacci employee flips a coin while you call it, determining whether you must pay the bill or receive those special breakfast items free of charge.

FREE SANDWICHES If money’s tight and you’re trying to decide between food and alcohol (we know it can be a tough decision), head to Morton’s the Steakhouse Downtown in the SunTrust Plaza building. If you sit at the bar between 5 and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, you’ll be served free steak sandwiches. 303 Peachtree Center Ave. 404-577-4366. www.mortons.com.

GO FISH Ra Sushi offers half-off sushi and appetizers from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and on Sundays, the restaurant’s Flying Fish Lounge menu offers guests half-off sushi and appetizers from 8 to 11 p.m. 1080 Peachtree St. 404-267-0114.
www.rasushi.com.

COOL OFF Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria may be known for its New York-style pies, but it’s also the home of $1 mini-cones of housemade gelato. 300 Marietta St. NW. 404-974-2941. www.maxsatl.com.

PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE On Thursdays, JCT Kitchen & Bar sells $24 carafes of Patio Punch (serves four). Other specials include $5 specialty martinis, margaritas and sangria; $1 goodies including oysters, JCT. deviled eggs and pimiento cheese toasts with pickled sunchokes; and live music beginning at 6 p.m. 1198 Howell Mill Road. 404-355-2252. www.jctkitchen.com.

THE RIVER FLOWS THROUGH IT WaterHaven, the new Southern restaurant near Georgia Tech, offers half-price appetizers in the bar Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., and all-day drink specials, including$4 and $5 mojitos on Mondays; $5 wine on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, as well as $3.50 Full Sail beer every day. 75 Fifth St. 404-214-6740. www.waterhavenatl.com.

YOU SAY IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY If you join Fifth Group Restaurants’ Frequent Guest Rewards Loyalty Program (it’s free to enroll, as the $15 charge gets credited back to members the first time they dine at a Fifth Group Restaurant), you’ll get a free entrée certificate on your birthday, as well as on your sign-up anniversary, along with a ridiculous amount of other savings opportunities. www.fifthgroup.com. In other birthday news, Drinkshop will give you one of its free made-from-scratch libations on your birthday with I.D. proof. Second floor of the W Atlanta-Downtown, 45 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. 404-582-5787.

C’MON, GET HAPPY Gordon Biersch, in its newest Buckhead location as well as Midtown, keeps it real with $1 off Gordon Biersch Lagers on Wednesdays, $2 off all wines by the glass and $5 martinis, margaritas and mojitos on Thursdays, and $3 mimosas and $5 Bloody Marys on Sundays. Every weeknight from 4 to 7 p.m., nosh on $4.95 appetizers. www.gordonbiersch.com.

CHOW DOWN Both locations of the Real Chow Baby (West Midtown and Cobb Galleria) feature the Chow Hour: two-for-one appetizers from 5 to 7 p.m. Mon.-Thu., and $9.99 for create-your-own stir fry (one trip only). www.therealchowbaby.com.

EASY SLIDER The Shed at Glenwood features Slider Night every Wednesday, with each slider setting you back just $3. 475 Bill Kennedy Way. 404-835-4363. www.theshedatglenwood.com.

TAKE HALF DBA Barbecue takes its draft beers (Abita, Sweetwater and Terrapin) down to half-price on Thursdays, with $2 pints and $7 pitchers. On Sundays, score $3 Sweet Tea vodka cocktails all day (brunch and dinner). 1190 N. Highland Ave. 404-249-5000. www.dbabarbecue.com.

BRUNCH FOR $4.99 Seriously. Alon’s Bakery & Market in Dunwoody sells made-to-order brunch favorites such as a frittata with sautéed fresh veggies, herbed omelet Panini and baker’s french toast with dried apricots—all for an unbelievably low price. 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road. 678-397-1781. www.alons.com.

STARLIGHT SIX DRIVE-IN: Two flicks for the price of one! All you need is a working radio to hear the movie, and you can bring your own food and booze. Admission is only $7 per adult, $1 per kid. 2000 Moreland Ave. 404-627-5786. www.starlightdrivein.com.

ART STROLLS: Peruse a plethora of beautiful and interesting galleries during Castleberry Hill’s 4th Friday Art Stroll on Friday, July 24; future dates include Aug. 28, Sept. 25, Oct. 2, Oct. 9, Nov. 13 and Dec. 11. www.castleberryhill.org. Also, the monthly First Thursdays ArtWalk offers a fun-filled stroll through some of Downtown Atlanta’s finest venues. www.atlantadowntown.com.

FREE MOVIES: That’s right, you heard us. Catch recent releases and classic faves on Thursdays through Aug. 27 at Atlantic Station’s Movies & the Market (www.atlanticstation.com); Tuesdays through Sept. 22 at the W Atlanta-Perimeter’s Dive-In Movies (make reservations at www.opentable.com); and Saturdays through Aug. 22 at Movies Under the Stars at the Mall of Georgia (www.mallofgeorgia.com).

LISTEN TO THE MUSIC: Every Sunday through the end of October, enjoy free music at Unplugged in the Park at Park Tavern, overlooking beautiful Piedmont Park. 500 10th St. 404-249-0001. www.parktavern.com. And Smith’s Olde Bar often hosts “3 for 5 Nights,” featuring three acts for $5. 1578 Piedmont Ave. 404-875-1522. www.smithsoldebar.com.

$1 BASEBALL We know our home team isn’t doing as great as they could, but a Braves game is an easy, cheap way to have fun. Get to the box office early for $1 seats in the upper pavilion (later they go up to a whopping $6). Ride Marta to the game for a mere $3.50 round trip. www.atlanta.braves.mlb.com.

LAUGH IT UP Atlanta’s nationally renowned Whole World Improv Theatre offers a handful of shows each week, with super-affordable $16 tickets on Thursday nights. 1216 Spring St. 404-817-7529. www.wholeworldtheatre.com. Meanwhile, the up-and-coming Village Theatre offers top-flight comedy Thursdays through Saturdays for only $10. 404-688-8856. www.villagecomedy.com.

MEDIEVAL TIMES Indulge in 11th-century fare while valiant knights joust for the glory of the king. Purchase of a regular, full-price adult admission gets one child or teenager in free now through Sept. 7. Must mention code KTF97SUN when ordering.
5900 Sugarloaf Parkway. 888-935-6878. www.medievaltimes.com.

THE HIGH MUSEUM Who doesn’t want to see Monet’s Water Lilies or the hidden treasures of the Louvre? The High offers half-price admission (that’s $9, my friends) after 4 p.m. That includes guided tours and lectures—and avoiding the large weekend crowds. 1280 Peachtree St. 404-733-4444. www.high.org. SP

PHOTO CREDITS (CLOCKWISE FROM UPPER LEFT):
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images, Courtesy of the W, Courtesy of Medieval Times, Courtesy of the Shed at Glenwood, Courtesy of DreamWorks, Courtesy of Gordon Biersch, shutterstock.com, Courtesy of Ra Sushi, Courtesy of the Village Theatre, Courtesy of Mortons the Restaurant

Olive oil dinner at Soho

SOHO restaurant, an American bistro located in historic Vinings, Georgia, will offer guests a distinctive dining experience on Wednesday, July 29, 2009. Bringing together the best of food, wine and people, SOHO will host Nick Sciabica of the Sciabica Family Olive Oil Company for a tasting of their award-winning olive oils followed by a prix fixe menu. The menu will include wine pairings chosen from SOHO’s wine bar.

Cold-pressing olive oil in Modesto, California since 1936, the Sciabica Family presses olives by variety and season, keeping the varietal separate all the way to the bottle. Their 100% Extra Virgin California Olive Oils are unrefined and contain no imported oil, chemicals, artificial colorings or preservatives.

Executive Chef Joe Ahn chose the following oils for his menu: Mission Variety Limited Release; Sevillano Variety Fall Harvest; Manzanillo Variety Fall Harvest; and both Lemon and Basil Fresh Flavored Olive Oils. The complete dinner menu with wine pairing is attached.

A reception introducing Mr. Sciabica will begin at 6:30 PM followed by the tasting at 7:15 PM. The cost for the dinner and wine pairing is $49 per person, and will include a limited edition sampler of the featured oils, compliments of the Sciabica family. The event is limited to 40 seats. Reservations can be made by calling (770) 801-0069 or at www.SOHOatlanta.com

Open since 1997, SOHO is an American Bistro located at 4300 Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta, Georgia, 30319 and is open for dinner seven days a week, serving lunch Monday through Friday. SOHO is independently owned and operated by husband and wife, Frank and Susan Smith.

Summer cocktails: 11 great drinks for keeping cool—and keeping your figure, too!

We hear it all the time: If you want to lose weight, cut back on those empty calories, which includes alcohol. But between the heat and the excitement of summer, we want to have our libations and drink them, too. Through ample amounts of fun research, we found that some adult beverages can actually be good for you (in moderation, of course). Ingredients like fresh fruit surely aid in building your daily nutrition pyramid, and herbs like mint might even help you maintain your figure. Add antioxidant-rich ingredients, such as açaí berry, blueberries, grapefruit, green tea, coffee, watermelon and pomegranate, and your risk of developing cancer and autoimmune illnesses decreases. The superfruit açaí is also known for being rich in amino acids and fatty acids, which boost your energy and immune system. Sweeten your creation with natural sweeteners like agave nectar instead of calorie-laden mixers, and you won’t pack on the pounds. With these top 11 cocktails, you can surely drink to your health.

TIP: Save calories by squeezing your own fruit juices, as opposed to sugar-laden store-bought varieties. Your cocktails will taste better, too!

BLUSHING BERRIES

By Stephanie Ruhe, the Bar at the Mansion on Peachtree


Ingredients:

2 strawberries 

1 sprig of mint 

3/4 ounce agave nectar

1.75 ounce citrus vodka (i.e. Ketel One Citroen) 

3/4 ounce lemon juice (freshly squeezed) 


Instructions:
In a shaker, muddle together mint and strawberries. Then add the remaining ingredients. Shake vigorously with ice for 20 seconds. Pour entire contents of shaker into a Tom Collins glass. (Include all of the mint and strawberry pulp.)

CRUZAN LEMONADE

Ingredients:
1 part Cruzan Estate Light Rum
A splash of lime juice
Lemon-lime soda

Instructions:
Pour Cruzan Estate Light Rum over ice in a long drink glass. Fill with lemon-lime soda, and squeeze a lime wedge over and drop in.

ZEN, WHITE & BLUE

By James Labe, Tea Sommelier

Ingredients:
1 ½ parts Zen Green Tea Liqueur
3 parts prepared Silver Needle White Tea
1 ½ parts Skyy Infusions Raspberry
3 parts fresh blueberries, muddled or pureéd

Instructions:
Combine one part cold and five parts boiling water to approximate 180 degrees F. Use ½ cup dry tea leaves to 2 cups hot water (1:4). Steep 3 minutes. Strain and chill. Combine and stir ingredients. Serve on the rocks. Garnish with fresh mint.

SAVíDA SANGRIA


Ingredients:
Savída Sangría, chilled
1-3 ounces light rum, vodka, gin or brandy
Fresh fruit, such as peaches, tangerines, strawberries, lemon, limes or apples (cut into 1-inch pieces)

Instructions:
This homebrewed sangria (sold at Whole Foods Market, and Parish Foods and Goods) is delicious over ice, or you can amp it up by adding to it one to three ounces of light rum, vodka, gin or brandy to a mixing tin with ice. Add cut fruit. Shake vigorously. Pour all contents into glass. Garnish with lime or orange wedge. www.savidasangria.com.

SAND BAR


Ingredients:

2 ounces Tabasco Spicy Tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice

¾ ounce orgeat (almond) syrup


Instructions:

Shake ingredients vigorously over ice, and strain into rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with pineapple wedge and a sprig of fresh mint.
CORZO LA FUTURA

By Junior Merino, national master mixologist

Ingredients:
1 ½ part Corzo Silver
¾ part Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur
¾ part pineapple juice
1 part fresh lime juice
½ part agave nectar

Instructions:
Pour all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake, and pour into a margarita glass or rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of crystallized ginger and lemon peel.

FUZZY LEOPARD

Available at 11 Stories

Ingredients:
1 1/2 ounce Beefeater Gin
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1/2 ounce triple sec or Cointreau
1 large fresh basil leaf

Instructions:
Combine and shake all ingredients. Serve in a Tom Collins glass. Garnish with a basil leaf.

AMAZON COOLER

Available at Whiskey Park, Whiskey Blue and the Living Room Lounges at the W hotel properties

Ingredients:
3 basil leaves
3 cucumber slices
¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce simple syrup
2 ounces Veev Açaí Liquor

Instructions:
Add basil leaves, two cucumber slices, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup to shaker. Muddle. Add ice and Veev. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain over ice into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with floating cucumber.

THE BACARDI DRAGON BERRY LEMONADE

Ingredients:
2 parts Bacardi Dragon Berry
1-1/2 parts freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/2 parts simple syrup
1 part cranberry juice
1 part club soda (top with)

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients (except club soda) into a tin filled halfway with ice. Shake 4-6 times and strain into a glass filled with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with a lime wedge. The Bacardi Dragon Berry Lemonade is the signature cocktail of Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week, which takes place July 27-Aug. 9. Learn more at www.atlantadowntown.com/fun/restaurant-week.

SKINNY WASABERITA

By Stephanie Ruhe, the Bar at the Mansion on Peachtree


Ingredients:
1 teaspoon wasabi powder 

3/4 lime juice 

1 ounce agave nectar 

1.75 ounces blanco tequila 


Instructions:
In a shaker, add all of the ingredients with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain over ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with a salt rim around the lip of the glass and a lime wedge. No triple sec or Cointreau is in this drink recipe because they add calories.

LAST WORD

Adapted by Jason Kemp, Drinkshop

Ingredients:
3/4 ounce gin
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounce green chartreuse*
3/4 ounce St. Germain (instead of maraschino liqueur)

Instructions:
Shake well with ice, and strain into chilled cocktail glass.
*The recipe for chartreuse was regarded as a health potion in the 15th century.

Boring bites: New menu at Neo's a snore

I’m a firm believer in change. It’s cathartic, it generally brings about good, and it keeps momentum going. But it’s not always the best plan of action. Take for instance Neo, the luxurious contemporary Italian restaurant we featured not too long ago in September. The Venetian-style tuna, the gnocchi with Asiago cheese and chervil crème fraiche, the chilled calamari with chorizo, fennel and lemon and the tart, refreshing limoncello were all superb. It was nice to have another posh destination for dates and client dinners and a good reason to get dressed up in your Sunday best. So when Maria and I took another couple there recently with the idea that we were going to check out Neo’s new farm-to-table concept, I expected that the Italian fare would be spruced up with fish caught off the coasts of Georgia and Florida, the tomatoes would hail from the chef’s local garden and the lemons would be straight out of the general manager’s mother’s backyard. That’s the trend I’ve been seeing around town, at least: Restaurants utilizing local and regional ingredients to decrease their carbon footprints, stretch their dollars and, let’s be honest, to attract more customers by being on top of the next big thing.

Marketing the farm-to-table concept is tired and old. It’s no longer the cool thing to say you’re doing; it’s the norm. If you’re not doing it, shame on you. Which leads me back to my visit to Neo. It’s doing it, but not in the way that I’d hoped: to enhance its colorful Italian offerings. Instead, Neo has morphed into another Livingston, WaterHaven or 4th and Swift, with its North Georgia mountain trout, Riverview Farms pork chops and George’s Bank scallops, accompanied by mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and fried green tomatoes. All delicious, don’t get me wrong. And the setting—the gorgeous view of a perfectly manicured English garden, glistening champagne-hued leather chairs and chocolate brown accents—is sophisticated and rich. But the Southern fare doesn’t match its surroundings, and it feels like a sell-out or a ploy to copy some of the other successful restaurants in town.

Atlanta has very few top-tier Italian restaurants, and Neo, for all its wonderful ties to the booted country, has made a detour I don’t understand. Even our server had no real answer for the change, except to say that he didn’t know if it was permanent and that the restaurant was trying it out because of the economy. True, the price points are lower, but we can get this well-prepared Southern cuisine at the aforementioned restaurants in just as beautiful surroundings. Why not do something different?

I’m all for farm-to-table, but Atlanta chefs should be more innovative with the local and regional ingredients, rather than emulating other chefs’ creations. Diners at the new Neo will likely love every bite of the new fare drenched in Southern elegance, but those who visited the old Neo are in for a surprise. SP
Kirsten Ott Palladino is the Life & Food Editor of The Sunday Paper. Get in touch at kpalladino@sundaypaper.com.