Best (Metaphorical) Atlanta Day Spa : Sauced serves summer in a glass

Peaches, melons, blueberries, tomatoes, cukes; summer harvest is at its zenith right now. There is a greater abundance of tasty fruits and veggies right now than at any other time of year. There are many reasons why this is good for your health, your stomach, your taste buds, and your kitchen; here are just a few:

• Georgia’s soil and climate are perfect for growing a myriad of summer produce. In other parts of the country, people aren’t so lucky; they have to get peaches from other states and regions, not a farm only 20 miles away. In spite of its heat and humidity, the southern summer flaunts how easy it can be to eat locally.

• The nutrient level of produce reaches its apex a few days after picking.  By having easy access to truly fresh fruits and veggies, we can get the most out of them nutritionally.

• Stockpiles of veggies and fruits = canning! Worried about eating seasonally in the dead of winter?! Have no fear, canning is here! (And it’s easier than you think!)

• Endless recipes for desserts, salads, cold soups, and of course, drinks! Mocktails and cocktails are more beautiful with fresh-from-the-garden ingredients and garnishes.

Drinks. It is so damn hot outside! Icy beverages with or without alcohol can be a refreshing respite from the relentless heat that envelopes the city this time of year. Combine drinking, ice, and something freshly dug out of the dirt? Exponential refreshment.

As a fruit and vegetable purist, I prefer my peak-of-summer produce straight-up: sliced with a knife and plopped in a bowl, unadulterated flavors in full force. I love the way the yellow grape tomatoes I pick from my backyard explode in my mouth with one tiny molar puncture, threatening to decorate whatever sundress I’m wearing if my lips aren’t clamped shut. The only thing I like to add is a judicious sprinkle of sea salt.

Cucumbers and sea salt, to me, seem quintessentially summery – that fresh, earthy, salty delight to the senses that transports me to white sugar-sand beaches. Cue libation: Sauced makes an aptly named “Day Spa” cocktail that incorporates the delights of lavender infused gin (the most refreshing liquor my palate knows), elderflower liquor, fresh dill, lime juice, and, of course, sliced cucumber.

Upon first taste of this summer-in-a-glass, the challenge lies in not taking too big of a sip despite your hedonistic impulse to gulp as you would, say, a golden lager. But as you linger over the smell and taste of the Day Spa, you notice that your mood lifts, your shoulders ease, your face relaxes, and your mouth smiles. If you didn’t know better, you could swear you were getting a full body massage.

Sauced Restaurant and Lounge is tucked away in the old 11 11 space, just a stone’s throw from the Krog tunnel, on Edgewood. It’s open from 5:30 to about 1 am most nights, and closed on Mondays. House cocktails start at $9.

Photo Credit: Tim Song