Celebrate Derby Day With a Fresh Mint Julep

By Katie-Rose Watson

What is more quintessentially southern than a mint julep? I am a bourbon lover through and through and just adore a refreshing mint julep on a warm day.

I make mine with a mint simple syrup. Don’t balk if you’ve never made simple syrup before. It can be done while your coffee is brewing — it’s that easy. Finely crushed ice really makes this an authentic julep.

I served mint juleps at my Kentucky Derby party and they were a total hit. These are sweet — without being too sweet — and have just the right amount of mint so that you can still taste the bourbon. Be warned: a mint julep is basically just sweetened bourbon. Straight bourbon. Proceed with caution. This is a very strong drink for strong southern gals like you and me. Cheers to that.

Ingredients

2 ounces bourbon

1/2 ounce mint simple syrup

3 mint sprigs

Finely crushed ice

Directions

Fill mint julep glasses with crushed ice and a straw. Pour bourbon and simple syrup over ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Mint Simple Syrup

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

Directions

Bring sugar, water, and mint leaves to a boil in a small saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cool and strain to remove the mint leaves.

Don’t want to measure at a party? Make up a pitcher. The one to four ratio is easily multiplied to make a large pitcher. The above recipe makes enough mint syrup for two pitchers but we only needed a single pitcher for the six of us at my Kentucky Derby party.

Mint Julep Pitcher

Ingredients

1 cup mint simple syrup

4 cups bourbon

Torn mint leaves

Crushed ice, mint sprigs for serving

Directions

Pour mint simple syrup and bourbon in a pitcher and stir. Add torn mint leaves. Serve with crushed ice and mint sprigs.

Katie Rose-Watson is the author of The Rose Table cookbook and the cooking and entertaining blog, www.therosetable.com. Her imaginative Disney Dinners have been featured on national news media outlets.