| Did a friend forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here to receive it in your inbox every Thursday. |  | | | By Henri Hollis | | Food & Dining Reporter | | | | | | | | | Hi, food friends, The AJC has covered two big pieces of fast food news in the last week and a half: Chick-fil-A’s introduction of chicken and waffle sandwiches and Waffle House testing tacos at some Atlanta-area locations. Typically, the AJC Food team covers fast food sparingly; our focus is on the local restaurant scene, and the stories around large restaurant chains often fall under the business team’s purview. But that doesn’t mean we’re not paying attention. Fast food restaurants are a big part of the food trend cycle. Sometimes, when a trend makes it to the fast food realm, it’s a sign that it’s reached peak exposure (ahem, chicken and waffles). Other times, fast food restaurants influence trends. Think of restaurants like La Semilla and The Companion, or pop-up Buen Provecho, which have long sold their own versions of Taco Bell’s crunch wrap supreme. But the true importance of fast food lies in its universality. Because these restaurants are so widespread and relatively consistent, they help anchor our shared understanding of food. In terms of food reporting, it’s good to know where the mainstream is so we can contextualize the stories on the fringes. There was a time when chicken and waffles was an exciting new concept to many people; now it’s comfort food. Fast food’s accessibility also provides a good baseline for the public’s willingness to pay for food. I vividly remember the epiphany I had when discussing a restaurant’s gourmet chicken sandwich with a friend, which he thought was too expensive (years ago, I think it was $20+). I explained the quality of the responsibly sourced ingredients and the effort that went into the dish, and he simply asked, “But is it five times better than a Chick-fil-A sandwich?” I think about that question often when I consider the value offered by the restaurants I review. For better and worse, fast food is a huge part of our shared vernacular around restaurants and dining. It helps us relate to one another when we discuss food, and it’s a starting point for many general questions about the restaurant industry. So, even if we don’t cover every in and out of fast food, we’re not looking down our nose at it, either. Do you have thoughts on the new offerings from Chick-fil-A and Waffle House? How has fast food helped shape your understanding of the restaurant industry? You can reach out to me directly at henri.hollis@ajc.com with tips, thoughts or questions for the AJC’s food and dining team. | How to celebrate National Peach Day in Atlanta |  | | Picking out the perfect peach like this one at Lane Southern Orchards' market in Peach County is part art, part luck of the draw. (Joe Kovac Jr./AJC) | | Georgia may grow more blueberries than peaches these days, but nobody is rushing to rename Peachtree Street. The peach still belongs to us. It’s on our license plates, in our cocktails and all over Atlanta restaurant menus for a few glorious months every summer. Though National Peach Day is today, peach season is already winding down. Here’s where you can still find some of Atlanta’s best peach dishes and desserts, plus a few recipes for putting those peaches on your counter to work. Learn how to pick a ripe Georgia peach A peach’s red blush may be pretty, but it isn’t the best way to judge ripeness. Tyler Wainwright of Lane Southern Orchards told the AJC to look at the fruit’s background color near the stem. Yellow is fine, but dark green can mean the peach was picked too early. A ripe peach should also have a little give without feeling mushy. If it’s still hard, let it soften on the counter or outside in the shade, never in direct sun. Refrigerate it once ripe to buy yourself a little more time. Read an expert’s advice for choosing the perfect Georgia peach. Turn ripe peaches into peach curd Peach curd is what happens when peaches get the lemon-curd treatment. Eggs and butter turn peach puree into a silky spread that lands somewhere between a custard and a jam. Our easy peach curd recipe includes 12 ways to use it. Spoon it over ice cream, spread it on biscuits, layer it into a cake or serve it with pork or grilled chicken. Roast the peaches that refuse to ripen Those stubbornly firm peaches on your counter are not a lost cause. They’re actually better for roasting because they soften in the oven without turning to mush. This 30-minute pork tenderloin with roasted peaches balances the fruit with sherry vinegar and fresh tarragon. It’s a quick dinner and a good use for peaches that aren’t ready to eat over the sink. 🍑 Read more: Find more ways to celebrate the end of Georgia’s peach season. | The Week's Essential Food and Dining Stories  | | 3 new late-night cocktail bars with drinks as good as the vibes | | | |  | | 6 Atlanta food pop-ups this week, including a deep dive on the Alden | | |  | | A guide to Upper West Market, Atlanta’s new indoor farmers market | | | |  | | The best wine for tailgating? Here’s why sommeliers love rosé. | | | | Beyond BuHi: More spots for global flavors across metro Atlanta |  | | A full table at Bene Korean BBQ. (Su-Jit Lin for the AJC) | | In Atlanta, unfettered by the traditional divisions of ethnic enclaves, immigrants have become integral parts of our communities, sharing their heritage and history with us across our neighborhoods and suburbs. So, global dining bastion that Buford Highway is, it’s far from the only avenue for delicious food with a toehold still in the motherland. A fantastic, beloved immigrant-owned spot could be even closer and more convenient than you think. 📍Bene Korean BBQ The scene at Bene Korean BBQ is set with contemporary design, a moody color palette and modern ventilation that leaves just enough of the aroma of grilled meat in the air to get mouths watering. In this grand-scale concept by Lisa Kim, the Miss Gogi founder, luxury makes it onto the menu as well, with premium cuts not always found at other KBBQs like tomahawk steaks, as well as delicious upgrades like an exceptionally airy version of a classic Korean seafood pancake. More importantly, Kim’s north star remains scratch-made food, “using traditional methods and quality ingredients,” including kimchi that’s made from a family recipe, she said. 555 Main St. NE, Atlanta. 770-800-7323, benekoreansteak.com 📍Chai Box Cafe While chai drinks — including hot lattes and iced versions of signature blends — are the headliners, they make up just a few of many unique options at the Chai Box Café. Ceremonial-grade matcha, a rotation of more than 15 loose-leaf blends and South Asian-roasted coffee are also on the menu. Seasonal drinks with house-made syrups might include iced coconut water topped with lychee malai (cream). To accompany the beverages, the Chai Box Cafe developed a pastry program that owner Monica Sunny excitedly calls a true East-meets-West collaboration. Saag paneer danishes and crumbly pistachio sable cookies with edible flowers and cream are particularly pretty treats in an equally aesthetic setting. 1963 Howell Mill Rd. NW, Atlanta. 844-242-4269, thechaibox.com/pages/chai-cafe 📍Marrakech Express Many of chef-owner Amal Alaoui’s dishes come directly from family recipes using time-honored techniques. She prides herself on the accurate replication of these flavors, going so far as importing spices directly from Morocco to ensure that there are no colorants or commercial additives. Because the dishes are true to her experiences with home cooking in Marrakech, there is no curry or soy in them, either. “We can make our own preserved lemons, make our own spiced olives and our own chermoula all here in Atlanta, too,” she said. 2450 Atlanta Rd SE Ste. 400, Smyrna. 770-405-8298, marrakechexpressrestaurant.com 🍽️ Read more: August’s exploration of immigrant cuisine visits a Chinese bakery, a Korean BBQ grill and a Grant Park Filipino restaurant. | Upcoming Events | | | Wine tasting in a hair salon | | | | | Colmado, a combined hair salon and wine shop in the Old Fourth Ward, recently launched weekly wine tastings at its studio. Attendees can taste four wines for $10, all of which come from women producers and follow a low-intervention winemaking philosophy. | | | | | | | | | | | Head to Dos Caminos for a four-course dinner featuring Patron Tequila cocktail pairings. Dishes include street corn fritters, a burrata and berry salad, shrimp and watermelon with cotija cheese and a churro tres leches trifle. Tickets are $65 per person. | | | | | | | | | | | Ruby Chow’s and Taiwanese American pop-up Mighty Hans are teaming up for a brunch event inspired by the nostalgia of diner chains like Denny’s and Shoney’s. Mighty Hans is debuting a new brunch menu with dishes like a scallion pancake bacon, egg and cheese sandwich; braised pork belly over rice; and black sesame Greek yogurt. | | | | | | More From Food and Dining  | | Sargent, Siren both open soon, and more from the Atlanta restaurant scene | | | |  | | ‘Skin care in a can’: How TikTok turned sardines into a viral beauty trend | | |  | | A WaHo taco? Popular diner tests out new menu items. | | | |  | | Get in, we’re going for a ride in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile | | | | How to make homemade coconut shrimp without deep frying |  | | This easy recipe makes less mess than traditional fried shrimp and takes fewer than 30 minutes. (Aaliyah Man for the AJC/Food styling by Kate Williams) | | Nutty and sweet coconut shrimp is a delightful way to enjoy shellfish. It works equally well with store-bought frozen shrimp and ultra-fresh-caught specimens. But making it at home can be a challenge, especially if you’re craving coconut shrimp on a weeknight. To get the dish on the table in less than 30 minutes, you’ll want to take a few shortcuts. Is it cheating? Maybe. Is it delicious? Definitely. 💡 Skip frying — sweet chili sauce makes easy coconut shrimp with less oil It’s true that deep frying is a great method for producing evenly browned, ultra-crispy coconut shrimp, but it isn’t practical for a weeknight recipe. Instead, saute the shrimp in Thai sweet chili sauce. It’s a typical dipping sauce for coconut shrimp, and adding it to a warm skillet helps draw the flavor deeper into the shrimp itself. Plus, its sticky texture helps ensure the crispy coconut topping stays on the shrimp. 💡 Turn the coconut breading mixture into a crunchy topping The most challenging part of frying coconut shrimp is creating a coconut-based breading that properly sticks to the shrimp and browns without burning. Once you take deep frying out of the picture, you no longer have to worry about the crunchy topping adhering — simply cook it separately. Cook equal amounts of panko and unsweetened shredded coconut until golden brown. Let the mixture cool, and it’ll form a perfectly crisp topping for the cooked shrimp. 💡 Add flavor by cooking in toasted sesame oil Instead of cooking the shrimp and the crunchy topping in a neutral oil, swap in toasted sesame oil. This oil will bring another layer of flavor complexity to the shrimp, complementing the sweet heat of the chili sauce and bringing out the nuttiness of the coconut. Be sure to cook over a moderate medium heat to prevent the oil from smoking. 🍤 Get the full recipe for these 30-minute coconut shrimp. |  Follow us on Instagram | | | |
