Mint Juleps come first to mind when thinking about derby day
food planning. We have several bourbon and whisky drinkers in the group (which
I am not). They’ll likely love this Southern-hospitality drink. My mother (who
grew up in Louisiana
The drink is highly alcoholic, but refreshing and crisp from
the mint simple syrup it’s mixed with. Even non-whisky folk tend to like them.
We’ll see… They can definitely sneak up on you! The traditional mint julep of
the Kentucky Derby is the “Early Times” mint julep. Here’s the recipe, straight
from the Kentucky Derby website for you to give a try: http://www.kentuckyderby.com/party/food-and-entertainment/libations/early-times-mint-julep.
Another recipe I found for mint juleps doesn’t even call for
preparing simple syrup ahead of time. It’s from the Food Network website.
Here’s the link for you to check out: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mint-julep-recipe/index.html
.
Our group will likely prepare ours from the simple syrup.
There are many variations on the recipe out there to choose from. Having mint
syrup already made will make it easier to mix drinks as we like. Having to mash
mint leaves for each cocktail would prove difficult for a group of our size.
I’ll save that for fresh mojitos on the patio this summer! Incidentally,
whichever recipe you choose, here’s another hint from my Southern mamma: she
swears that Makers Mark is the absolute only bourbon to use in a mint
julep! Try for yourself and see what you like!
Besides the juleps, we have a stunning menu of fresh,
springtime foods to please our palates for our final group meeting of the year.
You can see our full menu shown below. We left the green vegetables open for
the cook’s choice. I plan to prepare shredded Brussels sprouts similar to those
that I sampled at a restaurant and absolutely adored, along with an asparagus
and parmesan tart for those that don’t care for Brussels sprouts (although even
if you THINK you don’t like them, you should give these a try!)
Here’s the link to the Brussels sprouts recipe I use: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/shredded-parmesan-brussels-sprouts
. The only thing I do differently is to add a drizzle of truffle oil to them
before serving. This is the way I had them at Café di Scala in DesMoines , Iowa
Baked garlic cheese grits are the perfect side accompaniment
to our freshly grilled pork chops with mint julep glaze! I may not be a whisky
drinker, but I’m sure to love this light and fresh take on the traditional
flavor combination. I’m really looking forward to the appetizer element of our
meal as well; fried green tomatoes! I’ve never had them before (even with a
Southern mother) and I’m definitely ready to give it a try.
From the salad to the dessert it should be a fresh, light
and spring-timey array of foods with gorgeous color on the plate! I can’t wait
to see what the gals come up with for hats to wear! I borrowed from my sister,
who attends a Kentucky
We’re also having a fun take on “betting” for the race. We
agreed no one wanted to deal with gathering or tracking complicated betting or
payouts (after all the point of Dinner Club is to RELAX and enjoy the FOOD).
Therefore, we decided on a pool where each person will contribute five dollars.
We will all draw a horse randomly and root for our horse to win. It should be
quite funny to see who gets what!
Some of our guys are obviously more into betting that most
of the ladies. If they draw a nag (not that they’re omnipresent in the Derby
And so…. “We’re Off!” At least until I let you know next
week how the fun and games turns out! Here's the menu:
