Sunday Afternoon Cocktails - Mint Julep

Last Sunday, I posted a recipe for a Mojito. With all this extra mint around, I searched the internet for other cocktails that used mint as an ingredient. Lo and behold, my search ended with the Mint Julep.

Here are a few facts about the Mint Julep.

• The Mint Julep is the traditional beverage of the Kentucky Derby.
  
• It should be served in a chilled silver or pewter cup, but is more often served in a collins glass.
  
• Over 80,000 Mint Juleps are served over the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, requiring 8,000 liters of Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail, 2,200 pounds of freshly harvested mint, and 80 tons of shaved ice.

Mint Julep
Kentucky Derby Website

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice (I used cubed)
Early Times Kentucky Whisky (We had Wild Turkey, so I used that instead)
Silver Julep Cups (I served in a regular glass that I chilled in the freezer for a couple minutes)

Directions

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.(NOTE: The makes way more simple syrup than you need, so I skipped infusing it with the mint and just made regular simple syrup. You can pour the remaining syrup into a container and use for sweetening other drinks. It will last for about a month or so) 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.