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Showing posts with label Kentucky Derby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kentucky Derby. Show all posts

Friday, May 4, 2012

It's Derby Time! Some Mint Julep History...

Last year's Derby collector's bottle and napkin.
It's almost Derby time! Kind of torn between the Derby and Cinco de Mayo. Being in Texas, I guess we just celebrate twice. Post time is 6:24 (Kentucky time) pm. I guess that will be followed up with some great Tex-Mex food that will surely involve some fresh guacamole!

Did you know this is the 75th anniversary for the Mint Julep as the official drink of the Kentucky Derby? Nineteen and thirty-eight was the year they made it official. Back then, attendees paid 75 cents for the pleasure. Today,, wow hold your horses! - this delicacy in a collector's cup starts at one grand, that is 1 and 3 zeros and a decimal and two more zeros - $1,000.00!! Wow!


Woodford Reserve makes the collectors cup, only 75 of which will be made to commemorate the 75th anniversary of this delicate sipper. Sixty-five of these will be made of pewter and comes with a sterling silver drinking straw. I said it was a sipper.  And while you are sipping, think about investing in one of the 10 "prestige" cups for 2 grand. Well the proceeds do go to the Heart of the Horse Foundation, a charity that promotes the well being of horses.And for the rest of us... well we can purchase a Derby edition bottle of Woodford Reserve Kentucky bourbon with an artist's rendition of a racing horse for a  mere $40.00.
Click HERE for more interesting tidbits!

 I went to see if I could still purchase one (ha ha ha) and found out they were all sold. Of course Mr. CJ is just a wee bit relieved!!

OOh next year, I'm ordering some Bourbon Mint Julep Sugar and Bourbon Vanilla Sugar from Bourbon Barrel Foods in Louisville, KY.  The Bourbon-Mint Julep Sugar has all the rich caramel flavors of raw sugar as well as the refreshing flavors of mint while the Bourbonve  Vanilla Sugar is an all natural Demerara sugar that’s packed and aged with Bourbon-Madagascar vanilla beans to enhance the molasses flavors of the sugar with the richness of vanilla."

I have both lemon and regular mint for the simple syrup, I have regular old Lubbock water (sorry, didn't import the Kentucky version of branch water nor the water from France)... so let's make some Mint Juleps.

2 cups sugar 
2 cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint and lemon mint/balm
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 (half mint,half lemon), 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 silver spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.




Just don't forget to wear your fancy hat.

Click HERE for some more fun info from the Derby Museum. It's well worth a click. 





Have a fun day! Be responsible. See you at Post Time!! Taking my party over to the Tablescaper's Seasonal Sunday party!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Dining at the Derby Tablescape

Welcome to the 138th run for the roses! It's Derby Day this weekend. Oh gosh, Cinco de Mayo and the Derby all the same day. That could be a riot of confusion!!

This was my inspiration. The Stakes room at Churchill Downs. Notice the orange-y napkins, the black tablecloth, a plate with a green rim.

I used everything that I had (save for the new mint juleps cups from Ross Simmons that arrived in just the nick of time!) and tried to copy the feeling of the room the best I could.

I did look for these last week. Mint Julep cups. Afterall - what's the Derby without a Mint Julep - recipe on Friday!

Of course I will look like this - oh I wish! Still love this outfit that Julia Roberts wore to the polo match in Pretty Woman. And I'd have my derby hat, nothing too big, classically understated.

Naturally, the table is set with silver, and instead of a green rimmed plate, a green charger with a white plate.

Around the champagne bucket we are pretending is a loving cup or trophy, I've placed horseracing mementos. The photo-finish is a picture of a race horse we had before the children, Her name was My Moon Molly and she's the one in the front!!

Just as in the photo of the Stakes room, I've folded the napkins into the basic bishop's mitre and then folded the flaps down. Or at least that is what my napkin folding book calls it. 

The sterling champagne chiller belonged to my husband's grandparents.

You know I'm smitten with monograms.

 




 
Please pick your seat.. the race is about to begin! Looks like a great evening!


Cast:
Black tablecloth - had for ages
Napkins - World Market last year
Green chargers - Hobby Lobby years ago
Dinner plates - Wedgwood Windsor
Flatware - Old Company Plate Signature
Mint Julep cups - Ross Simmons
Racing mementos - personal items

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