Wanted to share a couple interesting drink recipes, in celebration of this weekend’s Kentucky Derby… the mint julep really intrigues me since it infuses the mint in the bourbon… I sure do love those silver julep cups! This recipe serves a bunch:
In a large mixing bowl, pour in the entire contents of one 750 ml bottle of Maker’s Mark Bourbon.
Add 150 ml of simple syrup (made by dissolving equal parts of sugar in water); Set aside for later
Strip enough spearmint leaves off of the stems to two large handfuls of leaves.
Wrap the leaves in cheese cloth. In a smaller separate bowl, pour 150 to 200 ml of Maker’s Mark Bourbon. Soak the cheese cloth with the spearmint in the bourbon and carefully wring it out.
Repeat this procedure several times until the smell of the mint in the bourbon is intense. Slowly stir a small amount of this mint extract into the bourbon and syrup mixture and sample.
Continue adding until the resultant mix is minty sweet. If done properly, you should now be able to fill a liter bottle with the resulting mixture.
Place the bottle of Julep in the freezer overnight to season and chill. To serve, pack Julep cups with crushed ice until mounded over the top. Pour the Mint Julep into the cup.
Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top of the ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.
Place a small bore straw into the cup and cut it off about ¾ of an inch above the top of the ice.
(This is so you put your nose into the mint sprig while enjoying the Julep.)
Anybody having a party on Derby Day?
The wet bar
Responses to “Somewhere, it’s cocktail hour”
May 4th, 2006 at 9:25 am
We have a party every year! We serve mint juleps too, although we use TN pewter instead of silver. Everyone gets a win ticket so they have a horse to cheer for, and of course, lots of great food.
May 4th, 2006 at 11:20 am
Leslie, I’m from Louisville and have had a mint julep or two myself! The traditional way is to muddle the mint in the simple syrup, refrigerate to mellow,and then strain the mint out. Then you make your juleps one at a time. I’m liking the idea of the cheesecloth trick, and making a batch ahead of time. One thing: It is important esthetically to heavily frost the outside of the glass by twisting the julep cup or churning the ice vigorously with a spoon.
Then some Trigg County country ham on biscuits, a Limestone Bibb salad and strawberries make the perfect Derby day brunch!
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