| Mint Julep | |
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| Type: | Mixed drink |
|---|---|
| Primary alcohol by volume: | |
| Served: | over crushed, or shaved ice. A mixed drink is a type of beverage in which two or more different ingredients are mixed together to create a different drink Bourbon is an American Whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from Corn and named for Bourbon County Kentucky. |
| Standard garnish: | mint leaves |
| Standard drinkware: | tall glass, or julep cup |
| Commonly used ingredients: |
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| Preparation: | Put mint, sugar, and a small amount of crushed or shaved ice into the bottom of a julep cup or tall glass. Bourbon is an American Whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from Corn and named for Bourbon County Kentucky. [Optional: Muddle the mint and sugar, then let stand for a bit to allow the broken leaves to release their flavor. ] Add bourbon whiskey, top off with crushed or shaved ice, and stir well to mix and chill the libation. |
The Mint Julep is a mixed alcoholic drink, or cocktail, associated with the cuisine of the Southern United States. A cocktail is a style of Mixed drink. Originally a mixture of distilled spirits, Sugar, Water, and Bitters, the word has gradually See also List of foods of the Southern United States The Cuisine of the Southern United States is defined as the regional culinary form of states
A mint julep is traditionally made of four ingredients: mint, bourbon, sugar and water. Mentha ( mint) is a Genus of about 25 Species (and many hundreds of varieties) of Flowering plants in the family Bourbon is an American Whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from Corn and named for Bourbon County Kentucky. Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In the use of sugar and mint, it is similar to the mojito. Mojito () is a traditional Cuban Highball. A mojito is traditionally made of five ingredients white rum, Sugar (traditionally Sugar cane In preparing a mint julep, a fresh mint sprig is used primarily as a garnish, to introduce the flavor and aroma through the nose. CategoryCocktail garnishes Cocktail garnishes are decorative ornaments that add character or style to a Mixed drink, most notably to Cocktails. If mint leaves are used in the preparation, they should just be very lightly bruised, if at all. Recipes from many reputable bartending books confirm this. However, proper preparation of the cocktail is commonly debated, as methods may vary considerably from one bartender to another. By another method, the mint julep may be considered as one of a loosely associated family of drinks called "smashes" (the brandy smash is another example, as well as the mojito), in which fresh mint and other ingredients are muddled or crushed in preparation for flavoring the finished drink. Brandy (from brandywine, derived from Dutch brandewijn — “burnt wine” is a spirit produced by distilling Wine The step further releases essential oils and/or juices into the mixture, intensifying the flavor from the added ingredient or ingredients. An essential oil is a concentrated Hydrophobic Liquid containing volatile Aroma compounds from Plants They are also known as volatile
The origins of the mint julep are clouded and may never be definitively known. The first appearance of a mint julep in print came in a book by John Davis published in London in 1803, where it was described as "a dram of spirituous liquor that has mint in it, taken by Virginians in the morning. "[1] However, Davis did not specify that bourbon was the spirit used. What is known for certain is that the mint julep originated in the southern United States, probably during the eighteenth century. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system U. S. Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky introduced the drink to Washington, D.C., at the Round Robin Bar in the famous Willard Hotel during his residence in the city. Henry Clay Sr ( April 12, 1777 &ndash June 29, 1852) was a nineteenth-century American statesman and Orator who The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The Willard InterContinental Washington is an historic luxury Hotel located two blocks east of the White House in Washington D [2] The term 'julep' is generally defined as a sweet drink, particularly one used as a vehicle for medicine. The word itself is derived from Arabic julâb and Persian gulâb, meaning rosewater. thumb|right|250px|Rose water Rose water or rose syrup (گلاب Golâb, Gül suyu ماء ورد Māʾ ward, Urdu: گلاب رس
Traditionally, mint juleps were often served in silver or pewter cups, and held only by the bottom and top edges of the cup. Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen Pewter is a Metal Alloy, traditionally between 85 and 99 percent Tin, with the remainder consisting of Copper and Antimony, acting This allows frost to form on the outside of the cup. Traditional hand placement may have arisen as a way to reduce the heat transferred from the hand to the silver or pewter cup. Today, mint juleps are most commonly served in a tall old-fashioned glass, Collins glass, or highball glass with a straw. The Old-Fashioned glass, rocks glass, or "lowball" is a short tumbler used for serving Liquor " On the rocks " meaning A Collins glass is a Glass tumbler holding 240 to 350 ml (8-12 Fluid ounces, used to serve a mixed drink especially the Tom Collins for which A highball glass is a glass tumbler holding between 8 and 12 Fluid ounces (24 to 35 cL used to serve a Mixed drink, or highball.
Contents |
Variations
- Kremlin Colonel - with vodka instead of bourbon; the fresh mint flavoring differentiates the drink from the similar vodka stinger that uses crème de menthe. Duos and Trios is a family of Mixed drinks A duo contains a base spirit and a liqueur while a trio additionally contains a creamy ingredient Crème de menthe is a sweet mint -flavored Liqueur. Its flavor is primarily derived from Corsican mint.
Popular culture
The Kentucky Derby
- It is well-known as the traditional beverage of the Kentucky Derby, a position it has held since 1938; during the event, more than 120,000 juleps are served (2007) at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three year-old thoroughbred horses held annually in Louisville Kentucky, on the first Saturday in May History The track is named for John and Henry Churchill who leased 80 acres (320000 m² of land to their nephew Colonel Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr For over 18 years, the Early Times Mint Julep Cocktail has been the designated "official mint julep of the Kentucky Derby". Early Times is a brand of "Kentucky Whisky" which was first distilled in 1860
- In May 2006, Churchill Downs served custom-made mint juleps at a cost of $1000 each at the Kentucky Derby. The mint juleps were served in gold-plated cups with silver straws, and were made from Woodford Reserve bourbon, mint imported from Ireland, ice from the Bavarian Alps, and sugar from Australia. Woodford Reserve is a brand of premium Small batch Bourbon whiskey made in the distillery formerly known as the Labrot & Graham Distillery Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Ice is a Solid phase, usually crystalline, of a Non-metalic substance that is liquid or gas at Room temperature, such as Ammonia The Northern Limestone Alps ( German: Nördliche Kalkalpen) are the ranges of the Eastern Alps north of the Central Eastern Alps located For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The proceeds were used to support charitable causes dedicated to retired race horses.
- In May 2008, Churchill Downs unveiled the world's largest mint julep glass. Churchill Downs, in conjunction with Early Times, commissioned the Weber Group [1] to fabricate the 6' tall glass (7 1/2' if the mint sprig is included). The glass was constructed from FDA food-grade acrylic, heated and molded into the shape of an official 2008 Derby glass. It had a capacity of 206 gallons, and distributed the mint juleps at the Derby with an elaborate pumping system concealed within the "stir straw".
On television
- The mint julep was a featured recipe on the "Raising the Bar" episode of Alton Brown's Good Eats. Alton Brown (born July 30 1962 in Los Angeles, California, United States) is an American food personality cinematographer author aircraft pilot and Good Eats is a Television Cooking show created and hosted by Alton Brown that airs in North America on Food Network.
- In The Simpsons episode "Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment," Homer is making home-made liquor in his basement. " Homer vs the Eighteenth Amendment " is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons ' eighth season, which originally One batch, which Moe refers to as a "Bathtub Mint Julep," is served to three Kentucky gentlemen.
- In The Simpsons episode "I'm with Cupid," Apu realizes he has seven days before Valentine's Day to surprise his wife, "sweet Manjula". " I'm With Cupid " is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons ' tenth season. Homer responds by drooling over the thought of a "sweet mint julep".
- Mint Julep is believed to be one of the favorite drinks of Star Trek character Dr. Leonard McCoy. Leonard H "Bones" McCoy, played by DeForest Kelley, is the Doctor character in the original Star Trek series and the first six A man from the "Old South", McCoy is fond of Bourbon whiskey and its derivatives. This article is about Old South and the geographical historical and cultural implications of the phrase Bourbon is an American Whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from Corn and named for Bourbon County Kentucky. He prepares a Mint Julep for himself during the episode "This Side of Paradise" aired on March 2, 1967. " This Side of Paradise " is a first-season episode #24 production #25 of Star Trek The Original Series.
- On King of the Hill when Hank is trying to win over a client, the client demands a mint julep before he will talk to Hank about propane. King of the Hill is an American animated series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels for the Fox Broadcasting Company The client then says the drink is awful because there was no vodka or tomato juice. A Bloody Mary is a popular Cocktail containing Vodka, Tomato juice, and usually other Spices or flavorings such as Worcestershire
- On NCIS, Season 3, "Untouchable," Special Agent Anthony Dinozzo recalls his mother having drunk his pet sea monkeys after confusing their sea castle with her mint julep. NCIS, promoted as Navy NCIS in its first season aka Navy NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service or NCIS Naval Criminal Sea-Monkeys are a Trademark given to sell a variant of Brine shrimp or Artemia salina, now called Artemia salina x nyos that originate in
- On the series finale of The Golden Girls, Dorothy (Bea Arthur) tells Lucas (Leslie Nielsen) she'd worried she might never see him again. The Golden Girls is an American sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, "Never see me again?" Lucas asks. "I'd buy a julep for the ghost of General Grant before I'd let that happen. " To which Dorothy replies, "I was hoping you'd say that. "
- On the The Big Bang Theory episode "The Hamburger Postulate", character Rajnesh Koothrappali states "When the smokes clears, Abraham Lincoln will be speaking Hindi and drinking mint juleps," when arguing that the Hindu gods Ganesh and Shiva would win against the Union Army plus Orcs in the Civil War. The Big Bang Theory is an American Situation comedy created and executive produced by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, which premiered The Big Bang Theory is an American comedy series created and executive produced by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady.
In film
- In the Marx Brothers movie Go West, S. The Marx Brothers were a popular team of sibling Comedians who appeared in Vaudeville, stage plays film and television Go West ( 1940) was the 10th Marx Brothers Comedy Film, in which the three brothers Groucho, Chico, and Quentin Quale (Groucho) and Joe Panello (Chico) get drunk on mint juleps with three caberet dancers. Leonard Marx, known as Chico, ( March 22, 1887 &ndash October 11, 1961) was one of the Marx Brothers.
- In the movie Goldfinger, James Bond drinks with the titular villain, ordering a julep made with Tennessee sour mash instead of bourbon, and also specified as "not too sweet. Goldfinger (1964 is the third James Bond film, as well as the third to star Sean Connery as MI6 agent James Bond. James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story Tennessee whiskey is a Bourbon whiskey that undergoes a filtering stage called the Lincoln County Process, in which the whiskey is filtered through a thick layer of Sour mash is the name for a process in the distilling industry that uses material from an older batch of mash to start fermentation in the batch currently being made similar " The villain also asks at one point, "the Julep tart enough?"
- The drink is the center of a drawn out comedic scene from the Francis Ford Coppola film, Finian's Rainbow. Francis Ford "Frank" Coppola (born April 7, 1939) is a five-time Academy Award -winning American Film director, Finian's Rainbow is a 1968 American movie musical directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
- The drink is mentioned in the film Thank You for Smoking (2006) when the Captain explains to Nick Naylor the secret to making the perfect Mint Julep, and later at the Captain's funeral, it is placed on his coffin. Thank You for Smoking is a 2006, Golden Globe Award -nominated Film Satire directed by Jason Reitman and produced by Nick Naylor is the Protagonist in satirist Christopher Buckley 's 1994 Novel Thank You for
- In the movie One, Two, Three, lead character C. One Two Three ( 1961) is a comedy film directed by Billy Wilder and written by I R. MacNamara describes Atlanta as "That's Siberia with Mint Juleps".
- In the 1974 remake Mame (film), a song of the same title mentions the drink through lyric; "You give my old mint julep a kick, Mame. This is an article about a 1974 film For the Broadway musical upon which it's based see Mame. "
In literature
- In Washington Irving's A History of New York, Yankees are paralleled to their "prototypes and cousins-german" of Virginia, as being "great roisterers, much given to revel on hoe-cake and bacon, mint-julep and apple toddy". Washington Irving (April 3 1783 – November 28 1859 was an American Author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th The term Yankee, sometimes abbreviated to Yank, has a few related meanings often referring to someone of U The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Irving claims this as the origin of the name "Merryland", as it was known during the governance of Willem Kieft, later slightly modified to the present name of Maryland. For the Dutch footballer named Willem (Wim Kieft see Wim Kieft Willem Kieft (September 1597 Amsterdam - September 1647 was a
- Mint juleps are referenced in the Hunter S. Thompson piece The Kentucky Derby is Decadent and Depraved They are further mentioned in a 'flashback' that Hunter S Thompson recalls in Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 which takes place at the Kentucky Derby. Hunter Stockton Thompson ( July 18, 1937 &ndash February 20, 2005) was an American Journalist and Author, most " The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved " is a seminal sports article by Hunter S Hunter Stockton Thompson ( July 18, 1937 &ndash February 20, 2005) was an American Journalist and Author, most Fear and Loathing On the Campaign Trail '72 is a collection of articles covering the 1972 presidential campaign written by the Gonzo journalist Hunter
- The drink is mentioned in chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is a Novel by the American author F Scott Fitzgerald. It takes place in a steaming hotel suite at the Plaza Hotel on a hot New York summer day. Tom, Daisy, and the rest of their friends rent the suite to take cold baths and drink mint juleps. The waiter comes with their order of crushed mint and ice, but before mixing the drinks Tom and Gatsby get into an argument over Gatsby's time at Oxford after the armistice of World War I. The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the An armistice is a situation where the warring parties agree to stop fighting World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Daisy tries to stop the argument by offering to make the drinks. [3]
- In Robert A. Heinlein's 1948 novel Space Cadet, Tex bribes a waitress at a space station bar to make and serve a pitcher of mint juleps to him and his two roommates during a brief leave from the Academy. Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer. The year 1948 in literature involved some significant events and new books A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Space Cadet is a 1948 Science fiction novel by Robert A Heinlein about Matt Dodson who joins the Space Patrol to help preserve peace in the Solar System A space station is an artificial structure designed for Humans to live in Outer space. In the United States Military, leave is permission to be away from one's unit for a specific period of time Matt and Oscar have one and then pass on the rest, but Tex gets drunk, requiring his roommates cover up for him after he vomits all over his uniform, since the cadets are not allowed to consume alcohol. Intoxication is the state of being affected by one or more psychoactive drugs. Vomiting (also called throwing up, emesis) is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one's Stomach through the Mouth and sometimes the The incident reveals that Tex is not quite the wild man he has made himself out to be, and he admits that with the exception of his Uncle Bodie, his family are teetotalers. See also Prohibition, Temperance movement Teetotalism (or T-total is the practice and promotion of complete Abstinence from Alcoholic beverages
- The novel Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley mentions the drink when The Captain explains to Nick Naylor the secret to making the perfect Mint Julep. Thank You for Smoking is a novel by Christopher Buckley, first published in 1994, which tells the story of Nick Naylor, a Tobacco Nick Naylor is the Protagonist in satirist Christopher Buckley 's 1994 Novel Thank You for (Crushing the mint onto the ice. )
- David Domine alludes to the preparation of the Mint Julep as a popular Derby ritual in his books Ghosts of Old Louisville: True Stories of Hauntings in America's Largest Victorian Neighborhood and Phantoms of Old Louisville: Ghostly Tales from America's Most Haunted Neighborhood.
- In "Gone With the Wind", Gerald O'Hara's favorite drink is described as the Mint Julep.
- In his poem "Cultural Exchange", Langston Hughes, in caricaturing certain pro-segregationists as "white mammies", writes: "Hand me my mint julep, mammy. /Hurry up!/Make haste!"
- In "The Shroud of the Thwacker" by Chris Elliot, in a contrast between the rich and poor of 1880's New York, Elliot writes: ". Christopher Elliott (born May 31, 1960) is an American Comedian. . . while uptown the more posh types like the Vanderbilts, the Bloomingdales, and the Trumps sipped their mint juleps, made fun of poor people, and frolicked on their private beaches along the East River, also contracting cholera. This article details the family of Cornelius Vanderbilt For other uses see Vanderbilt (disambiguation. Bloomingdale's (or Bloomie's) is a chain of upscale American Department stores owned by Macy's Inc Cholera, sometimes known as Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera, is an infectious Gastroenteritis caused by the Bacterium
- In his short story The Duplicity of Hargraves O Henry describes a typical old-Southern man Major Talbot's mint julep making: "It was a fascination to Hargraves to watch him make it. He took rank among artists when he began, and he never varied the process. With what delicacy he bruised the mint; with what exquisite nicety he estimated the ingredients; with what solicitous care he capped the compound with the scarlet fruit glowing against the dark green fringe! And then the hospitality and grace with which he offered it, after the selected oat straws had been plunged into its tinkling depths!"
In music
- Bobby Goldsboro in his song "Summer the First Time" mentions a woman who "sipped on a julep. Bobby Goldsboro, born January 18, 1941 in Marianna, Florida) is an American country / pop Singer "
- The Mint Juleps is the name of an indie folk duo from New Zealand. Neofolk is a form of Folk music -inspired experimental music that emerged from post-industrial music circles New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island
- Ray Charles has a number one rhythm and blues hit with the Rudy Toombs song titled "One Mint Julep," originally a minor R&B hit recorded by The Clovers. Ray Charles Robinson ( September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) known by his Stage name Ray Charles, was an American Rudolph "Rudy" Toombs (c1914&ndashNovember 28 1962 born in Monroe Louisiana, was a black Songwriter who wrote " Teardrops " One Mint Julep " is a Rhythm and blues song written by Rudy Toombs that became a hit for The Clovers. The Clovers are an American Rhythm & blues group History The group formed in 1946 at Armstrong High School in Washington D Also recorded by Sarah Vaughn.
- Louis Armstrong, among other performers, mentions Mint Juleps (or at least Juleps) in the song "You Go to My Head" with the line "You go to my head like the kicker in a julep or two". Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter "You Go To My Head" is a 1938 Popular song composed by J
- The title song of the musical Mame says Mame "give my old mint julep the kick. MAME is an Emulator application designed to recreate the Hardware of Arcade game systems in Software, with the intent of preserving gaming "
- In the Beastie Boys song "The Brouhaha" from the album To the 5 Boroughs, a lyric in the second verse is "We be makin' mountains out of Cool Whip, pass me the mint for the julep. To the 5 Boroughs is the Beastie Boys ' sixth studio album This Album was released on June 14, 2004 internationally and a day "
- In the Babes in Toyland song "Dust Cake Boy" the line "has a crystalline cunt made of mint julep tea" is rumoured to be a reference to Courtney Love. Courtney Michelle Love (born Courtney Michelle Harrison on July 9 1964 is an American Rock musician and Golden Globe-nominated actress
Elsewhere
- There are some versions of the drink in a non-alcoholic form, the most noted being made by the Walt Disney Company and served at two of their theme parks (Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland) in a small section themed after New Orleans. is a 115 acre (466535 m² Theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. They are made with Creme de Menthe and Limeade. Limeade (sometimes called Lime-en-ade is a beverage similar to Lemonade, but is made with lime juice or lime flavor(s instead
- Bob Dylan described in his Theme Time Radio Hour episode #3 how to make, by his preferences, a perfect mint julep:
| “ | First up, you take four mint sprigs, two and a half ounces of bourbon. Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major Theme Time Radio Hour ( TTRH) is a one-hour long Radio show hosted by Bob Dylan. Bourbon is an American Whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from Corn and named for Bourbon County Kentucky. I'd put three. A table spoon of powder sugar, and a table spoon of water. You put the mint leaves, powder sugar and water in a Collins glass. A Collins glass is a Glass tumbler holding 240 to 350 ml (8-12 Fluid ounces, used to serve a mixed drink especially the Tom Collins for which You fill the glass with shaved, or crushed ice, and then add bourbon. Top that off with more ice. And. . . I'd like to garnish that with a mint sprig. Serve it with a straw. Two or three of those, and anything sounds good. | ” |
- The play "The Mint Julep Trilogy", by Nick Zagone, features the Mint Julep as a romantic device. The titular drink is accessory to the plot of the piece.
- The Hawksmoor restaurant in Shoreditch London serves Juleps and no other cocktail. Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.
Notes
- ^ Davis, John (1803). Travels of Four Years and a Half in the United States of America, 379.
- ^ See Nickell, p. 31, for Clay's recipe, taken from his diary.
- ^ The Great Gatsby, Chapter 7 excerpt, University of Adelaide
Sources
- Domine, David. Adventures in New Kentucky Cooking with the Bluegrass Peasant (Kuttawa, KY: McClanahan Publishing House), 2007 ISBN 091338397X
- The Mint Julep: The Very Dream of Drinks, from the Old Receipt of Soule Smith, down in Lexington, Kentucky (Lexington, KY: The Gravesend Press), 1949. [reprinted in 1964]
- Nickell, Joe. The Kentucky Mint Julep (Lexington, KY: The University Press of Kentucky), 2003. ISBN 0-8131-2275-9
See also
External links
- History of the mint julep
- Mint Julep at kentuckyderby.info
- The Buckner Mint Julep Ceremony
- Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau - Fun Facts — Includes claim that the Mint Julep originated at Mint Springs in the Vicksburg National Military Park
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