At Kinjo Kitchen + Cocktails in Macon, Georgia, peaches have made their way into a summer-ready cocktail. “It’s simultaneously effervescent, fruity, and boozy,” says Kinjo owner Chelsea Hughes. “The first thing you notice is the juicy sweetness, almost like you’re biting into fresh fruit.” Then come bubbles from soda water, a pop of citrus, and the silky flavors of vanilla and bourbon.
Hughes and bar manager Taylor Couey, who collaborated on the drink they dubbed “Teaches of Peaches,” wanted to nod to Georgia’s beloved summer ingredient—they both have precious memories of taking their sons to pick peaches at Lane Southern Orchards in nearby Fort Valley.
At Kinjo, Asian flavors often play alongside Southern ingredients—slow-braised pork belly in barbecue sauce, a red snapper filet simmered in soy-sake broth. And though the peachy drink is a Georgia cocktail through and through, Hughes recommends pairing it with the restaurant’s Hoisin duck dish, or a similarly flavorful dish at home. “The richness of rendered duck fat and caramelized onions in fried rice balances out beautifully with the bright, fruity acidity.”
