Drinker’s dilemma: celebrate Derby Day or Cinco de Mayo?

Dawn Saturday will find Salt Lake City cocktailians rubbing their eyes and wondering how they should spend their day: celebrating the 138^th running of the Kentucky Derby or celebrating Cinco de Mayo.  Both of these days are often the occasion for parties or gatherings, and both have strong associations with popular cocktails: the Margarita for Cinco de Mayo, and the Mint Julep for the Kentucky Derby.

Early in the day (but not too early, post time isn’t until around 4:20 PM MDT) it will be time for the classic Mint Julep that has been Churchill Down's signature cocktail for 75 years since 1938.  (Remember, the race only lasts two minutes, so don’t miss it because you’re off making Juleps.)  The more adventurous among you should by now have tried David Wondrich’s variation on the Mint Julep, the Prescription Julep, a perfect combination of Rye Whiskey and Cognac.  Juleps are best enjoyed with fresh mint; if you’re stuck with store-bought mint this year, check out this article for information on growing your own for next year.  Yes, Juleps are delicious, but don’t overdo it if you also plan to celebrate Cinco de Mayo later.

How will you be celebrating Cinco de Mayo when evening comes?  This year marks the 150^th anniversary of Mexico’s Batalla de Puebla, so Mexican-Americans may party more than usual.  Salt Lake City lovers of Classic Margaritas may be going to a favorite local Mexican restaurant like Frida Bistro or Tres Hombres, or celebrating at home with a favorite recipe.  Margaritas are the favorite cocktail of the USA, based on sales; over four million Margaritas are sold in the USA daily.  As yummy as Classic Margaritas are, you might be ready for something different.  So why not try a Chambord® Margarita Royale?  Both of these Margaritas are delicious and they taste so good that it’s easy to have one too many, so drink wisely.  To give your Margaritas a special flair, see my Cinco de Mayo glass rimming technique. 

It’s Derby Day, time for a classic Mint Julep: the ultimate derby cocktail

It’s Derby Day again, and the Derby has a lot of fans in Salt Lake City.  Will you watch the race on TV while sipping a cocktail, or host a Kentucky Derby party, or are you just looking for a good cocktail to enjoy?  The classic Mint Julep is the answer to all of these challenging questions, and is almost a requirement for watching the big race.  A key ingredient for the Mint Julep is fresh mint, and you will need plenty, especially for a party.  Read my recent article on Mint to learn more about buying or growing your own mint.  The crop on the south side of my house will be decimated this morning.

Considering that it’s Mint Julep season, the Utah State Liquor stores have surprisingly few Bourbons on price reduction this month.  If you don’t have a favorite Bourbon, or are looking for a good one on sale, you might want to try Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey® (CS# 017086) is available for $22 ($5 off).  It’s in general distribution, so your local store should have it.

The traditional Mint Julep is served in a silver or pewter cup, because the metal chills down rapidly as the Julep is stirred, acquiring a cool-looking coat of frost.  Unless you pre-chill your metal cup, however, it will melt more of your ice.  An official cup looks cool, but to tell the truth, you don’t really need one.  If you don’t mind missing out on the frost, you can use an Old Fashioned glass, or even a Collins glass.  Whichever kind of glass you use, pre-chilling it in the freezer or with ice is a good idea.  So get out your muddler and practice your muddling technique so you’ll be ready for Derby Day.  (If you don’t have a muddler, use a spoon or any other blunt instrument that will fit in your mixing glass.)  This delicious cocktail is easy to make and may be enjoyed until the frost kills off your mint crop. 

Mint Julep

6-8 Mint Leaves (large)

½ oz Simple syrup or 2 sugar cubes or 2 tsp. sugar

2 oz Bourbon whiskey

You will build this cocktail in the glass.  Place the mint and simple syrup or sugar into your Julep cup or an Old Fashioned glass (if you’re using sugar, add a teaspoon of water).  Muddle 15-20 times to dissolve the sugar (stir if necessary) and to release the oil and aroma of the mint.  Pour in the bourbon and stir.  Fill the glass with crushed ice and stir briskly until the outside of the glass frosts up.  Garnish with a sprig of mint.

You can also try the Prescription Julep or the Lavender Mint Julep.