Derby Day at our house

Saturday is Derby Day... is anyone else excited?  In our house, we've always gathered around the TV on Derby Day, winners picked, mock bets placed to see the likes of Barbaro, Sunday Silence, Winning Colors and Cigar run the 'fastest two minutes in sports.'

 

You've got to have a mint julep in honor of The Derby!

 Each year almost 120,000 juleps are served at Churchill Downs over the two day period between the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby, virtually all of them in specially made Kentucky Derby collectible glasses.

Here is Paula Deans recipe:

Ingredients

• 4 cups bourbon
• 2 bunches fresh spearmint
• 1 cup distilled water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar

Directions

To prepare mint extract, remove about 40 small mint leaves. Wash and place in a small bowl. Cover with 3 ounces bourbon. Allow the leaves to soak for 15 minutes. Then gather the leaves in paper toweling. Thoroughly wring the mint over the bowl of whisky. Dip the bundle again and repeat the process several times.

To prepare simple syrup, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of distilled water in a small saucepan. Heat to dissolve sugar. Stir constantly so the sugar does not burn. Set aside to cool.

To prepare mint julep mixture, pour 3 1/2 cups of bourbon into a large glass bowl or glass pitcher. Add 1 cup of the simple syrup to the bourbon.

Now begin adding the mint extract 1 tablespoon at a time to the julep mixture. Each batch of mint extract is different, so you must taste and smell after each tablespoon is added. You are looking for a soft mint aroma and taste-generally about 3 tablespoons. When you think it's right, pour the whole mixture back into the empty liter bottle and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours to "marry" the flavors.

To serve the julep, fill each glass (preferably a silver mint julep cup) 1/2 full with shaved ice. Insert a spring of mint and then pack in more ice to about 1-inch over the top of the cup. Then, insert a straw that has been cut to 1-inch above the top of the cup so the nose is forced close to the mint when sipping the julep.

When frost forms on the cup, pour the refrigerated julep mixture over the ice and add a sprinkle of powdered sugar to the top of the ice. Serve immediately.

YUM!!

So here are our Derby contenders - Thomas (quite the squirt but definitely the quicker of the two) and Willie (tall, dark and handsome but can't be bothered to pick up the pace). Willie was actually bred to race, born from winning bloodlines on both lines, but never quite could get his long legs to work together on the track.  Besides, pasture life seems to suit him much better these days :)

While our steeds stand idle, waiting to be called up to the big leagues (NOT) we are happy with life here in Virginia, watching in the comforts of our living room.   Although we all hope to make it to Churchill Downs for a Derby one day ... hats, gloves, juleps, the whole nine!  

Have you been?  I'd love to hear your experience!

~Nancy