Mint Julep Recipe

It's Derby time, so don your white suit and pretend you're either Colonel Sanders or Tom Wolfe, depending on your level of sophistication and how much you like fried chicken and/or modern architecture.

Here's an old-fashioned recipe for an old-fashioned race:

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups water (branch water is ideal)

Fresh Mint

Crushed Ice

Kentucky Bourbon (2 ounces per serving)

Make a simple mint syrup* by boiling sugar and water together for 5 minutes; cool. Place in a covered container with 6 or 8 bruised mint sprigs. Refrigerate overnight.

Make a julep by filling a julep cup* or glass with crushed ice, then adding 1 tablespoon of mint syrup and 2 ounces of bourbon. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost outside of cup or glass. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig..

*This makes enough syrup for about 44 juleps.

Extra Tips:

Always use a premium Kentucky bourbon
Use crushed or shaved ice and pack in cup.

To bruise mint, place in a cup and gently pass the back of a spoon between cup and the leaves a time or two. You want the mint to release some of the fragrant oils.

Add a straw cut to protrude just above the rim of the cup and serve. You should be able to get a faint whiff of the mint sprig when you're sipping.

Keep the covered syrup in the refrigerator (after removing the mint leaves) if you don't plan on drinking all the servings.. Enjoy later....

Posted by harry at May 1, 2004 11:39 AM | TrackBack