Hi, darlings...it's Wednesday and we're inching closer to this weekend's Derby...though I am married to a native Louisvillian, I have never been to the Derby but am dying to go. For now, I will content myself with mint juleps- the delicious and tipsy beverage of the Run for the Roses. I'm not a bettin' woman, but I do love the ponies. And I absolutely am crazy about a proper mint julep. I had the great fortune of doing a bit of a bourbon tour last summer and I must say, it's a fascinating, time honored process resulting in delicious, brown, liquid heaven. So here's a recipe from the BBQ Whisperer on how to make a proper julep. Enjoy- let's go have one now, shall we?
Ingredients
8 to 10 mint leaves
1 sprig of mint for garnish
1 tablespoon of sugar, more or less to taste
1 1/2 ounce clean fresh Kentucky spring water
3 ounces premium Bourbon
Crushed ice
About the Bourbon. Knob Creek is my favorite sippin' whiskey, but I cringe at the thought of mixing it with sugar and mint. So I use Jim Beam Black Label, first rate 8 year old that sells for about $25 where I live. (Maven note: unless I am mistaken, the bourbon they use in the official julep is Early Times...)
Optional: Replace the sugar with 1 ounce peach syrup.
Optional: Replace the water with seltzer to make it more lively.
Do this
1) Rinse the mint to make sure any dirt splashed on the underside of the leaves is gone. Don't dry them. The moisture from the rinse is helpful in making the drink.
2) Put the leaves in a 12 ounce cocktail glass and pour the sugar on top. Muddle them together with a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon. When the leaves and wet sugar begin to turn to a mushy paste, add the water and the bourbon, and stir with a fork until the sugar dissolves. Top with crushed ice, garnish with the sprig of mint, get your bets down, and serve.
And that's what's up this galloping toward the weekend of a Wednesday in the 305. XO