Whoo Hooo it's Derby Day

[LeeAnne151]

I'm voting for Street Sense to break the jinx as the winner of the Breeder's Cup Juvenile Classic has never gone on to win the Kentucky Derby.

Wouldn't mind seeing Edgar Prado win on Scat Daddy though.

Lot of fund raising going on today in Barbaro's name for disabled jockeys and horse health research. His saddle fetched over $200,000 at auction for the Disabled Jockeys Fund. A record for a racing item. The gold plated mint julep cup fetched $22,000 for horse health research. Comes with a $1000 mint julep! Ice from the Bavarian Alps, sugar from Australia, mint from Ireland and Kentucky's premier aged Bourbon.

Nasty tasting stuff, I'll be having a Margarita.

The Barbaro documentary is on NBC and HDNBC tonight too. Supposed to be really good.

[Teresa]

I'm just looking forward to the Mint Juleps!!!  Got the silver cups out and washed them this morning!

The Early Times Mint Julep Recipe

2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Early Times Kentucky Whisky
Silver Julep Cups
Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

[LeeAnne151]

Emeril adds Gran Marnier but even that lucious liqeuer could not cancel out the nasty taste of bourbon for me. I like bourbon flavored pecan pie, BBQ sauce or sauce on bread pudding but not bourbon itself.

[MikeW]

I was at the 105th running. My first mint juleps. Disgusting things, but the fifth starts to taste OK. It was one of the more memorable times in my life.

Cheers,

Mike

[Teresa]

I was at the 105th running. My first mint juleps. Disgusting things, but the fifth starts to taste OK. It was one of the more memorable times in my life.

Cheers,

Mike

It really depends on what bourbon you use and how much sugar you use as to how dreadful they taste.  I've been drinking bourbon for a long time, and as with so many other things, it's an acquired taste . . . . I prefer my eggnog with bourbon, and I love eggnog.  The better bourbons (more expensive) can be really good . . . . . a mint julep made with good bourbon is a good thing (and I wouldn't classify Early Times as a good bourbon.)

[MikeW]

My first bourbon experience -
1977, I am leaving South Africa, a farewell party at home for all my university mates. My mother has already married this Yank chap, and he is keeping bourbon in our bar for the times he visits.  We, in the colonies, drink only scotch, which we call whisky.
About 10 pm, I am bartending away, and a good friend of mine sidles up with "Mike, your whisky has gone bad". The taste was so unusual, and "off" compared to scotch, he thought it had sat on the self too long and spoiled.

Later we all had a good laugh - until the Derby when once again. bourbon happened in my life. Now I ask you, does 'Mint Julep' not conjure up images of a refreshing, frothy, green, type drink - as opposed to a glass of solid bourbon?

Still in recovery,

Mike

[Brian]

Teresa,
What is your favorite Bourbon?  Mine is Makers Mark.  I'm actually a Makers Mark Ambassador, and have toured their distillery in Loretto Ky.  Very tasty stuff compared to Jim Beam etc.

[Teresa]

I love Makers Mark and that's what I mostly drink . . . when I drink bourbon. 

[LeeAnne151]

I made my one and only Mint Julep with Maker's Mark.

Steet Sense won. Whoo Hooo. It was a good race.

[Ky Kim]

Eeeeew Mint Julips.  My dad does some landscaping for the wife of the former T.W. Samuels, Sr. He was the owner of Makers Mark, he passed away several years ago. We have several bottle signed by him unopened.  But, Ms. Samuels sent some Mint Julip No Bake Cookies, yuck yuck yuck. 

Louisville seems so empty now that the Derby is over. 

Kim