Burnt Fork BBQ

I had no intention of writing about this place. Call me selfish, but sometimes I really just want to eat because I'm super hungry and in no mood to analyze it.

But this place was too good. I'd feel like a lazy jerk if I failed to mention it.

It's super fantastic good. In fact, Burnt Fork BBQ is the best barbecue I've had in Atlanta. The food and overall clean and friendly vibe of the place measures up to what I consider the best barbecue restaurants in Georgia: Wiley's Championship BBQ in Savannah and Sconyer's Bar-B-Que in Augusta.

That's not light praise. In the course of my research for various articles about Georgia barbecue--if you're not familiar with the American South, barbecue can be spelled several ways but is as important as religion to some folks--I've tried what seems like hundreds of barbecue restaurants. And since you can hardly toss a stone in Georgia without hitting a BBQ joint, I'm conservative about bestowing high regards on them. But this place is great and I'm quite happy to have discovered it. I'll no longer have to drive two hours to get grilled meat that's delicious and not greasy. There's also an emphasis on organic and sustainable.

In addition to the meat, the side dishes are impressive, as is the range of available sauces. And if you've got vegan friends they'll think you're absolutely nuts recommending a barbecue restaurant, but there are plenty of vegan menu options--quite a surprising discovery, although it is in Decatur.

The dude behind the register on Saturday evening, who may have been the owner but I was too exhausted after a day of physical activity to ask, said that everything is made from scratch, in house, based on recipes created by the two chefs who helm the kitchen.

Bottom Line: Top-notch BBQ. Savor it on site in clean environs or take it to-go.

Eppa Superfruit Sangria

I'm a sucker for sangria.

When I was in high school, I spent a summer traveling in Spain as part of a group hosted by my favorite Spanish teacher. Before I left home in Minnesota for my first trip overseas, my dad (who never had a passport) said that he was so afraid of me drinking the water that he'd prefer I drink wine. It was 1981 and, in those days anyway, whenever you sat down at a restaurant table anywhere in Spain the server brought a pitcher of sangria to the table along with the menus. Because of course you'd want the sangria. And because Europeans weren't hung up on the age 21 thing. So I learned to drink wine with the blessing of my father by sipping sangria, always red, ice cold and packed with fruit.

Courtesy Eppa Superfruit Sangria

I still love sangria, especially in summer.

When I first heard of Eppa Superfruit Sangria, they of course had me at sangria. But I was a bit skeptical upon learning that wine from Mendocino, California, is blended with juices from superfruits. "Every glass has twice the antioxidants of red wine!" boast the press materials. But will it taste like wine or fruit juice? I wondered.

It tastes like fruity wine, like authentic sangria. There's wine structure yet it's smooth and sweet--not sickly sugary sweet, just easy-to-drink and refreshing. In a word: Yum!

The wine is a blend of several varietals, including Cabernet and Syrah. What's more, it's certified organic.

"Cabernet provides the structure and depth while the Syrah brings fruit flavors to the party," states the press release. "The grapes are then blended with a unique combination of organic superfruit juices including pomegranates and blueberries as well as Mediterranean blood oranges, acai berries and natural citrus essences."

Bottom Line: Delicious! Two thumbs up.

This wine retails for approx. $12.

Eppa SuperFruit Sangria is now available in the wine section of Whole Foods Market in more than 20 states including Texas, New York, Missouri and Illinois. In the Atlanta area, Eppa Superfruit Sangria is available at Total Wines, BJ's, and will be available in Publix stores starting in August. To find other locations, search using the store locator.

Southern Comfort Flavors

Southern Comfort, a fruit, spice, and whiskey flavored liqueur, was created in New Orleans by bartender M.W. Heron in 1874. Today, it is sold in over 100 countries around the world and continues to grow with a new range of flavors.

Recently, I sampled two flavors: Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper, which was launched last fall, and Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry, the newest addition to the portfolio.

Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper is a fusion of Southern Comfort and Tabasco brand pepper sauce. The new spicy concoction delivers a balanced mix of Southern Comfort flavors infused with the spicy heat of original Tabasco brand pepper sauce. Served as a cold shot or incorporated into a cocktail, it delivers a moderate amount of heat to the palate.

Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry is infused with natural cherry flavors. It’s smooth and is especially enjoyable mixed with Coke or Coke Zero--think Cherry Coke with an alcholic kick.

Both flavors are presented at 70 proof with a suggested retail price of $16.99 for a 750ml bottle.

SoCo Bold Black Cherry & Cola

2 oz. Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry
4 oz. Cola
Lemon Wedge

Fill a glass with cubed ice. Pour in Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry. Add Cola and garnish with lemon wedge.

Bottom Line: Likely to be popular among 20-something consumers.

Historic Banning Mills New Zip-Line

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