TIBT: Georgia on My Mind
Ready or not, it is officially summertime in the South, ya’ll. Skyrocketing temperatures, surging humidity and relentless rainstorms are the only thing on Mother Natures’ agenda this time of year, so break out your bikini (or speedo?) and go ahead and fork out half of your quarterly salary to Georgia Power so you can maintain your sanity for the next three months. Just kidding…but seriously.
I shouldn’t be so negative, though. The summer months here have far more to offer than simply the potential for heatstroke and dehydration (let’s not forget sun poisoning!); the South offers a plethora of delectable seasonal herbs and produce that any good chef or mixologist should rejoice at the opportunity to utilize. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Georgia produce? I really don’t think I should have to spell it out.
Since the late 1800’s, Georgia has found its place in history as the promised land of peaches, thanks to horticulturist Prosper Berckmans and his downtown Augusta “Fruitland Nurseries” – home to over three million peach trees of more than 300 varieties. From the 1850’s to the early 1900’s, Prosper Berckmans turned his 315+ acre nursery into an international hub of Georgia peach production and distribution – reaching as far as “Australia, China, Japan, Africa, the East and West Indies, Brazil, the Bermudas and every section of Europe and North and South America”, according to an 1880’s Fruitland catalog.
Although the original site of the Fruitland Nurseries has long since been devoted to a far more sporting endeavor (maybe you’ve heard of the Masters?), the Fruitland legacy is forever stamped in Georgia’s history. Even if the story seems new, the “Peach State” heritage should not.
When I first stepped behind the bar at 11th and Bay Southern Table, I was introduced to a crafty looking bottle of vodka – infused with real Georgia peaches – that tasted so genuinely peachy even I was impressed. (I’m not much of a vodka drinker – and certainly not normally a “fruity” spirit advocate.) Though distilled and bottled in Kentucky, Fruitland Augusta peach vodka is not only made with local Georgia peaches (2 in every bottle, they say!), but the entire company is branded to represent the history of Georgia’s rise to peach-growing fame. Pretty cool, if you ask me.
In celebration of summer, I’m sharing two of my favorite peachy libations – one of which enjoys a front and center seat on the 11th and Bay Southern Table cocktail list (you’re welcome), and another that I like to craft for those customers who just can’t seem to decide what they want (but only when bourbon is out of the question). Though I have assured countless patrons that I would gladly consume their beverage for them if it did not suit their taste, I have yet to find one willing to take me up on the offer.
As I began contemplating the changes, I wanted to make our cocktail list for the impending stifling summer weather, and bearing in mind that the majority of our patrons seem to enjoy something somewhat sugary and served with a stem, I devised this concoction to satisfy their sweet tooth. As this cocktail is very loosely based on the classic Cosmopolitan, I dubbed it the “Southern Sophisticate” to encourage even the most timid of drinkers to throw out their pinky as they sip (but in all seriousness, sticking out your pinky does not make you look classy).
The Southern Sophisticate
2oz Fruitland Augusta peach vodka
½oz strawberry balsamic shrub
½oz cranberry juice
Add ingredients to a Boston shaker, top with ice, and give it a generous shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a fresh strawberry slice.
This second creation came about around the same time I revisited the Blueberry Julep, mainly at the request of fellow employees who wanted to sample – uh, I mean sell – the blueberry shrub in something other than bourbon. While I initially hoped to be able to incorporate some zesty lemon to this recipe, I ended up settling on a drier, yet still fruit based finish. And yes, the title is corny – so come up with something better, why don’t you?
Georgia on My Mind
2oz Fruitland Peach vodka
¾oz blueberry shrub
½oz dry vermouth (Carpano Antica is the only obvious choice, but good luck finding it retail! In its absence, Cinzano will suffice.)
Add ingredients to a Boston shaker, top with ice, and shake lightly. Strain over new ice in an old fashioned glass and garnish with fresh blueberries or sliced peaches.
Although I tend to feel rather proud of myself when I have the opportunity to sip on either of these fruity phenomena, I believe the credit much more realistically belongs to the creator of the spirit itself. Three cheers to you, Ms. Kato.
– Chelsea
