Mint Julep

Sun. Glorious sun! We had two days of bright spring sunshine this past weekend and it was wonderful. It was even more wonderful because those conditions can be so hard to come by in Portland, this time of year. That fact always seems to hit home for me around Derby Day, the first Saturday in May.

Y’all ever tried a Mint Julep? Year after year, as Derby Day approaches, I dream of sipping a memorial Mint Julep on the veranda, uh… I mean deck… as I choose the horse I hope will win the Kentucky Derby. In my mind I picture a warm sunny afternoon, my skin glistening with the slightest perspiration as I enjoy the cool sensation of holding a frosted metal cup, its condensation sweating against my palm. I imagine that cup filled with chipped ice and good Kentucky bourbon, the scent of refreshing mint soothing my pale wintered senses, as I bask in the sunlight. Ahhhh!

Mint Julep Weather

Unfortunately, more often than not, Derby Day turns out to be cold and rainy in Portland and I trade in my dreams of a frosty Mint Julep for a shot of amaretto in a cup of hot coffee. This past weekend, however, was the stuff of my southern dreams. It was spring and the sunshine felt hot on my face and I wanted a Mint Julep, now!

Yes, last weekend the weather in Portland was close to perfect. It wasn’t quite Derby Day and it didn’t last, but I made the most of it while it was here. I made my Mint Julep and, if by some sweet chance the first weekend of May is equally gorgeous, I’ll be ready to make one then too. But I won’t bet on that. I’ll have some amaretto on hand just in case.

Details, Details

Mint Juleps can exhibit the best of southern hospitality: simple ingredients, thoughtfully prepared, and presented with attention to detail. The simple ingredients are bourbon whiskey, mint leaves, sugar and ice. The recipe is below. So, what are the details?

• What should a julep be served in?
• Must the cup be silver?
• What if I don’t own a commemorative Derby glass?
• Is any glass okay?
• What brand of bourbon whiskey is ideal?
• Is it acceptable to use Tennessee or other whiskey?
• Should water be added?
• What type of water should be used? Branch water or club soda?
• Should mint leaves be broken, crushed, muddled or added to the cup in pristine form?
• What type of sugar is best? Granulated? Powdered? Simple syrup?
• Must I have a proper muddler?
• What is a proper muddler?
• Will the back of a knife handle do?

There are no right answers here, yet these details are of great importance to a southern host and are the subject of much attention and, often, great debate.

Over the years, I have tried different approaches to these details. Muddling fresh mint leaves into granulated sugar in the bottom of a metal cup adds a bit of drama and sensory indulgence to the presentation. On the other hand, stirring mint infused simple syrup into bourbon and ice in a commemorative Kentucky Derby glass is festive and convenient. As to taste? I have to say that I scarcely appreciate the difference.

The Stuff of Legend?

My brother describes it this way:

There are two main versions of mint julep I’ve run across. The “traditional” Mint Julep seems to be a formidable creation which is pretty much straight bourbon on ice scented with mint and maybe a dusting of powdered sugar. Something like, “Take a coin-silver, frosted Julep cup. Gently bruise one pristine leaf of mint and drop it into the bottom of the cup. Fill the cup with crushed ice. Add 100 proof bonded Kentucky Bourbon until within one-quarter inch of the rim. Deftly sprinkle a tiny modicum of powdered sugar on the rim. Garnish with a bouquet of fresh mint and serve immediately.”

There are innumerable variations. Sometimes the rim is rubbed with a mint leaf. There is an insolvable feud between those who swear by steeping unbruised mint leaves only and by those who muddle them – bruising the leaf to release more essential oils. I’ve made up a few of these recipes for myself and a few brave friends.

The other mint julep is not the stuff of legend but, to my mind, a much more practical and enjoyable spring drink. My recipe is for such a Julep – more in the line of a long drink. It has 1 jigger of bourbon per 10 – 12 ounce glass, significant mint and sugar for a very noticeable minty taste to the drink, and water to reduce the octane and impact on the drinker. It is quite refreshing and appropriate for sociable Derby drinking with a group. Most of the juleps I’ve sampled in Kentucky were this more diluted, sociable variety.

A Practical Mint Julep

So here is my brother’s version of a Mint Julep as printed in our Family Heirloom Cookbook:

Here’s the Mint Julep recipe as used for over 20 years worth of Kentucky Derby Parties.

Take a twelve ounce glass. (Coin Silver Julep cups are best, followed by plastic official Derby Souvenir cups but any cup will do.) Fill the cup with crushed ice. Add 4 teaspoons of Mint Julep Syrup (below) over the ice. Follow this with 1 ½ oz. of Kentucky Bourbon. (Never use Tennessee Whisky on Derby Day! A famous Kentuckian is reported to have said that anyone who made a mint julep with Tennessee Whisky was capable of putting a scorpion in a baby’s crib.) Top off with branch water and stir vigorously. Garnish with a sprig of freshly picked mint.

Additional flourishes such as rubbing the rim of the cup with a mint leaf or placing the cup filled with ice in the freezer to get a good frosty coat on the outside can be done, but in the hurry of a big Derby Party I generally omit these niceties.

Mint Julep Syrup –

To make one pint.

Take one cup of water and bring it to the boil. Reduce heat to moderate and add two cups of granulated sugar. Stir until completely dissolved. Then add approximately one cup of precleaned mint leaves (stems may be left on, but remove roots and any extraneous vegetable matter). Turn off the heat and let it sit for 15 minutes or so. The mint leaves will shrivel and release their oil into the syrup, turning it lightly greenish and fragrant. Remove the mint (surprisingly easy) and discard. Pour into clean glass jars through a sieve to filter out all the leftover little mint pieces. Cover and store refrigerated. Keeps for quite a long time.

Mint Julep

Course: BeverageCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1

serving

Prep time

3

minutes

Preparing Mint Syrup

20

minutes

A practical and sociable Mint Julep, just right for hosting a Kentucky Derby Party or celebrating a beautiful spring day.

Ingredients

• Crushed ice

• 4 teaspoons Mint Syrup (recipe below)

• 
  1 1/2 ounce Kentucky bourbon whiskey

• fresh mint sprigs (for garnish)

• Mint Julep Syrup

• 1 cup water

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• 1 cup fresh mint sprigs

Directions

• Fill a 12-ounce julep cup or glass with crushed ice.
• Pour 4 teaspoons of Mint Julep Syrup (recipe below) over the ice.
• Add the bourbon. Top off with water and stir vigorously.
• Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
• Sip and enjoy!
• Mint Julep Syrup
• Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan.
• Add granulated sugar to the boiling water and stir until completely dissolved.
• Add mint leaves to sugar mixture. Remove from heat and allow mixture to rest for 15 minutes. Remove mint with tongs or a slotted spoon.
• When cool, remove any remaining particles by pouring mixture through a sieve into a clean glass jar. Cover and store in refrigerator to use as needed.
• Makes 1 pint of syrup.

Notes

• The recipe for Mint Julep Syrup can easily be halved or quartered according to your need. When I made these I cut the recipe for the mint syrup to ¼ cup water, ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup mint leaves picked fresh from my own garden.