*If it’s south of the Mason-Dixon Line (the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania), it’s in the South. Play around with this one: equal parts Brandy and Rye could be amazing in a drink like this. But the earliest Mint Juleps were more likely to be made with Brandy than Bourbon. Especially on a veranda.ĭoes it have to be Bourbon? To a Southerner, anything else might be heresy. Add crushed ice and pour bourbon over ice. Some time over the last century or so, the Mint Julep came to be closely associated with the rural, agrarian South – but that’s no reason we can’t enjoy them wherever we happen to be. For each ginger mint julep, in julep cup or 10- to 12-ounce glass, muddle mint leaves in ginger syrup. The Mint Julep was once widely popular throughout the country and widely imbibed in the North and the South, city and country. Pour the hot simple syrup into a container and place in the freezer for 15 minutes. To make the homemade creme de menthe, make a simple syrup of 1 cup water to 1 cup sugar. But the Julep we know and love today began to take shape in the late 1700s, and David Wonrich traced the first mention of mint in a Julep to 1802. Add ½ cup of fresh, chopped mint, cover, and let it steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour on the counter. The Julep goes back over a thousand years as a macerated, flavorful concoction, intended as medicinal but with dubious effect. Stop once the leaves start to change from bright green to brown or black.ĭo not settle for Juleps with a paltry handful of mint leaves or, worse, artificial mint syrup. You want to bruise the leaves to extract the flavorful oils, not unleash the leaves’ powerful and not-too-pleasant underlying vegetal flavors (much less end up with mint in your teeth). Don’t skimp on the mint, but use it wisely: discard the mint once muddled, and don’t over-do it by grinding up the leaves. Your Julep should taste, first, of Bourbon, but also minty, sweet, smooth, and ice cold. The Mint Julep is a deeply refreshing drink. Muddle enough to dissolve the sugar and release the oil and aroma of the mint. Place your mint leaves and simple syrup in your julep cup or cocktail glass. Get your straw, give it a bit of a stir, and dust it with some powdered sugar. Gather your Mint Julep recipe ingredients. Garnish with a sprig of mint (slap it against your palm a few times first to release the fragrance). Top with more crushed ice until there’s a nice mound on top. 53 Reviews 9 Photos This mint julep is made with Kentucky bourbon and homemade simple syrup thats infused with fresh mint leaves. Fill the glass halfway with crushed ice, then add your Bourbon and a dash or two more of simple syrup, to replace what you lost with the mint leaves. Now we give it a stir to chill and melt some of the ice for dilution. Step 5: For our next step, we add the prepared sweet tea mixture and fill the julep cup halfway with crushed ice. Discard the mint, pressing out as much of the sugar and mint oils as you can. Step 4: From here, we add fresh mint leaves to the serving cup, pour in the bourbon and muddle the mint leaves (photo 4). Add 1/2 oz simple syrup and muddle gently – press down firmly but don’t grind up the leaves. That does not, however, preclude me from enjoying one of the South’s greatest culinary gifts to the world, the Mint Julep.Ģ oz Bourbon 1/2 oz + 1-2 Dashes Simple Syrup Fresh Mint Powdered Sugarįill a highball glass or, better yet, a silver julep cup a third to half full with fresh mint leaves (the smaller the better as these are the most fragrant). Learn more about Houmas House Plantation and Gardens.Born and raised in the state of New York, I am a Yankee through and through – even though I now reside in the decidedly southern* city of Washington, DC. With a long-handled spoon, stir to chill and mix. Pour in the bourbon and top off the glass with club soda. With the handle of a wooden spoon, crush and mash the leaves to extract the flavor. Once cool, about 1 hour, strain the mint and allow to sit, sealed until ready to use. Strain into a mason jar and add the mint. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring slowly, until the sugar is dissolved. Put the mint leaves and the syrup in the bottom of a tall glass. In a heavy bottom pot, add the sugar and water.
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