Fuel Up for Race Day with Mint Juleps and a Biscuit Bar
You can't have a Derby party without a quintessential mint julep, and I couldn't think of a better local distributor to source a classic recipe than our friends at Nelson's Green Brier! For the sake of time, this signature drink is simple. All you need is 2 oz Belle Meade Bourbon, 1/4 oz simple syrup, 2 sprigs mint, ice and a julep cup. See below for this must-make cocktail recipe, straight from the experts themselves.
Drop the mint sprigs into the julep cup and lightly bruise them with a muddler. Using the muddler, pull the leaves up the inside walls of the cup so that the essential oils from the mint coat the interior. Once complete, lightly tamp the mint back into the bottom of the cup. Next add the other ingredients and fill the cup 3/4 of the way full with crushed ice. Using a swizzle stick or bar spoon swizzle the drink, disturbing the mint in the bottom as little as you can, until you start to see the exterior of the cup start to frost. Top off the the cup with a heaping dome of crushed ice and garnish with a bouquet of mint but only after you have slapped the mint across your palm to release the aromatic essential oils. In a sauce pan, combine 2 parts sugar to one part water. Simmer and stir until all sugar crystals are dissolved. Allow the syrup to cool and then store in the refrigerator.
Next up? A brunch-inspired biscuit bar!
They are easy to make — or purchase — and even easier to eat. They’re also great to-go food if you're contributing to a friend's party spread. No matter how you source them, make them your own by creating a biscuit bar so that guests can have a variety. Fill a basket with buttermilk and sweet potato biscuits, all of which can be purchased in the frozen section at your local grocery store, along with a tray of non-smoked ham, country ham and prosciutto slices. Finish it off with a display of jams, jellies, preserves, honey, mustards, figs and even pimento cheese for some added flair.
Check out this Derby-inspired collaboration with Mary Huddleston, the renowned Mrs. Southern Social. It really didn't take much to pull this together. Use what's around your house, in your yard and at your local grocery store (you never know — they might have a horse balloon waiting for you!) to create an easy but memorable Derby party for your guests.
