As it was the featured Artini at the Tabard Inn yesterday, why not keep the momentum going? (hopefully the rest of you at Tabard had better service than I did on the patio. It took 30 minutes to place a drink order and 25 minutes to actually get the damned delicious drink) I was saving this one for the Derby but now's as good a time as any to get all spring-like.
The Mint Julep has long been a Southern summer staple, sipped by the landed gentry while wearing big hats and watching horses run in a straight line. They are said to have originated in the South (thanks to the oppressive summer heat, ready supplies of mint just rampantly growing in your front yard, and the heinous slave trade that kept supplies of West Indian rum flowin') and are believed to be one of the very first true cocktails. There are only two constant ingredients: liquor and mint. The liquor used in a classic Julep, Georgia Style, is peach brandy.
Variations exist on the general theme. You can create the "southern Style Bourbon" julep (replace liquor with Bourbon), Champagne Julep (replace with Champagne - see a pattern?) and a Rum Julep, which is more commonly referred to as a Mojito. That's right - a Mojito is a Rum Julep. And if you're playing by the rules a Mojito should not have lime as Juleps never have fruit in them; so though I like Mojitos with lime it's a bastardization. I'll still drink 'em.
Mint Julep
- Mint leaves and sprigs
- 2 Sugar cubes
- 1/4 oz Peach brandy
- 1 1/2 oz Brandy
Crush mint leaves and sugar cubes in large highball glass with pestle or muddler. If you're using a meat tenderizer (because hey, it's available) be careful not to break the glass itself. Fill with crushed ice, pour in liquors, stir well, garnish with mint sprig.
God loves a cheerful giver.
I wasn't impressed with that Artini at all! It was more like a mint flavored snowcone smashed into a metal can. And not even a good snowcone.
as if i didn't want it to be summer enough
at least first day of spring/Persian New Year is tomorrow
hopefully that's the start of something good
it wasn't fantastic but it wasn't the bartender's fault. if the drink had been brought out when it was made it wouldn't have been a solid block of ice with liquor underneath.
One of my friends in college thought that a Mint Julep was a candy !!!
svet makes a mean mint julip.
-i +e
i do.
i am in general very good with all sorts of drinks that go well with sitting on porches while drinking them.
please bear this in mind while making your summer bbq guest lists.
Chantal's julep was great. And it used Zirbenz, which tastes like sugary, alcoholic pine cones, and that's not an easy booze to mix with.
Svet does make a good Julep.
Eddie does nothing but make a slushy fucking mess on my vintage O'Keefe & Merritt oven and floor.
i'll do it again, too, motherfucker
for a more successful mint julep use simple syrup for the sugar or at least powdered sugar stirred in and use a mint julep class- usually a silver or pewter tumbler.