Mint and Horses Go Hand and Hoof!

The Kentucky Derby is this weekend, and no Derby Party is complete without the famous Mint Julep which has been the traditional beverage of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby for nearly a century. Each year, almost 120,000 Old Forester Mint Juleps are served over the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. This is a feat that requires over 10,000 bottles of Old Forester Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail, 1,000 pounds of freshly harvested mint and 60,000 pounds of ice. But if you find yourself at home with the kids, then this recipe may tide you over for all of your American horse racing needs. Just make sure to start the night before to be prepared for the races! No horsing around!

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar

• 2 cups water

• Sprigs of fresh mint

• Crushed ice

• Old Forester Kentucky Bourbon

• Silver Julep Cups

Preparation

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, 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 Old Forester Kentucky Bourbon, or any old bourbon you may have laying around. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint. There you go, a famous beverage concocted in your own home, away from the steaming divots, screaming people, and long lines.

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