"mint julep" news and stories

Did you know that there's an official Kentucky Derby recipe for the Mint Julep? This is the drink that you down as you watch the horsies fly by. It also helps if you wear a big hat.

It's called The Early Times Mint Julep, because it uses Early Times Kentucky Whiskey. You probably don't have Silver Julep cups at home, so I'd use something else.

Also after the jump is a video on how to make an alternate version of the Mint Julep.

Yesterday was a big day for fans. Which fans? Basically, any and all fans who wanted to celebrate anything, whether you were celebrating Cinco de Mayo, holding your breath during the De La Hoya vs. Mayweather fight, swirling your twirl for Tom Jones in Vegas, or cheering for the horses at the Kentucy Derby.

If it was the Kentucky Derby, then no doubt you were sipping on mint juleps all day long. If you happen to have some of the mint-infused simple syrup left, you might want to follow in the recipe steps of Ceres' Secrets and throw together a Mint-Juleped Fruit Salad. All you have to do is toss fresh fruit with the simple syrup, a splash (or more, depending on how you feel) of Bourbon, and garnish with fresh mint. I can't think of a better way to get over your post-Derby Day hangover!

Granted, this isn't actually a Mardi Gras cocktail per se, however the ingredients are meant to give a nod to the South nonetheless. I actually stumbled upon it one day while looking for a Mint Julep recipe - this is just a slight variation of the original. It's now on my rotation of drinks to serve at a party because it always garners such positive response. Adjust the ingredients to suit your own personal taste, if desired.

Minted Bourbon
1 1/2 oz bourbon
1 oz sugar syrup (recipe can be found here)
2 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2-3 sprigs of fresh mint
Sparkling water or soda
Crushed ice

Muddle mint leaves with lemon juice. Add simple syrup, bourbon, and ice. Shake or stir until well mixed. Strain into a tall glass over ice, and top with sparkling water or soda. Garnish with mint leaves or a lemon wedge.

Mint juleps (and anything else with whisky) are Kentucky Derby staples, but if you're not a big drinker, or are acting as designated driver, you might feel like you're missing out when it comes to celebrating the "run for the roses." There are plenty of non-alcoholic "mocktails" that you can mix up so you won't be left out of the party. These two recipes are both from the LCBO Mocktails recipe section. The first is a non-alcoholic Mint Julep variation, which is both appropriate and refreshing. The second drink is known as the "Derby Mocktail" and is a fruitier, more colorful Derby choice.

Mint Mocktail

5 oz lemonade
6 mint leaves, torn 
1 oz ginger juice
1 tbsp fresh blueberries (garnish)

To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add lemonade, mint and ginger juice. Shake well and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Garnish with blueberries and a mint sprig.

Derby Mocktail

3 oz. pineapple juice
3 oz. tangerine juice
1 tsp grenadine
1 maraschino cherry (garnish)

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all ingredients, shake and strain into a hurricane glass filled with ice. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

[Recipes and Image LCBO]

Source

We've seen mint juleps here on Slashfood before. There's a mint julep flavored soda and the 132nd Kentucky Derby will serving ooh-la-la $1,000 mint juleps on Derby Day. If you'll be betting on watching the races from home, you can mix up a proper mint julep at your own home bar. But first, a little bit of historical trivia, or trivial history.

The mint julep, though most popularly associated with the Kentucky Derby, wasn't invented by some bartender mixing drinks track-side. The cocktail was first appeared officially in 1803 when it was described as a "dram of spirituous liquor that has mint in it, taken by Virginians in the morning." However, the mint julep's history may go back even a century before that to the early 1700s. Mint juleps today are made with Bourbon, but the first mint juleps were likely made with rye whiskey or rum (in which case, doesn't that make it a mojito?!?!).

To make a mint julep, start with a silver cup, which is frosted over. If you don't have a silver cup, a regular tumbler is fine. Some recipes call for a simple syrup, and others have mint leaves muddled with granulated sugar. If you're using granulated sugar, muddle fresh mint leaves in the bottom of the glass with 1 tsp. sugar. Add crushed ice, the pour in 3 oz. Bourbon.

If you plan ahead, you can prepare the simple-syrup version of the mint julep. Bring equal parts sugar and water to a boil and completely dissolve sugar. Add a handful of mint leaves to the syrup, then chill syrup overnight. To make the mint juleps, place crushed ice in glass, add 1 Tbsp. of the chilled mint syrup, and pour in 2 oz. Bourbon.