Thursday Mint Julep Open Comments

I’ve opined about the Martini and the water of life from Scotland before.
I would like to discuss another simple, yet classic mixed drink, the Mint Julep. It is very simple and very refreshing on long, hot summer days in the south.

The essence of the recipe is:
2 1/2 oz of good bourbon (e.g., Maker’s Mark or better)
A couple of sprigs of fresh spearmint (peppermint is for philistines)
A teaspoon of sugar (some recipes call for powdered sugar – do not fall for it – regular granulated sugar is a good abrasive for the muddling process – see below)
A teaspoon of water
Crushed ice
In a Tom Collins glass (or an actual Julep glass if you can acually find one) muddle the bottom several leaves of the mint, sugar and water. Don’t be a New York sissy about the muddling. Muddle it so it knows it’s been muddled. Muddle the bejeebers out of it. When you’ve muddled it sufficiently, you’ll have a green, sweet, minty paste in the bottom of your glass.
Fill the glass with crushed ice (Sonic ice – aka rabbit turd ice – works very well for this) and pour the bourbon in. Top off with additional ice. If performed properly, you’ll have what amounts to a mint-infused bourbon slush.
Garnish with the stem and top leaves of the mint sprigs.
Sip while talking in an exaggerated Kentucky Colonel accent. Embrace your internal Foghorn J. Leghorn.
For extra flavor, steep a whole bunch of crushed spearmint in a quart jar of bourbon overnight – even longer is even better.