Mint Julep

I just listed this wonderful little silver plated cup in my Red Truck Designs shop. I think it is a Mint Julep  Cup. I decided to do some research and I learned a lot about the history of the Mint Julep.

The mint julep is a tradition as old as the Kentucky Derby itself, as much a part of Derby tradition as bugles and roses. Rarely seen the rest of the year, this potent concoction is the national drink for a few hours every first weekend in May. 

 The julep is the official toast to the winning horse, but fans at Derby parties tend to start long before the finish. Most Southerners will admit that it's an acquired taste, at best, this mixture of bourbon, sugar, mint, and ice.

Like another Southern delicacy, Coca-Cola, the julep was concocted to mask the taste of medicine. It caught on among the healthy.

 Controversy rages over the minutiae of a proper julep -- chipped or shaved ice, crystalline or boiled sugar -- but julep purists agree that a real mint julep must be served in a frosted silver julep glass. And, of course, made with the finest Kentucky bourbon. Moonlight and magnolias are optional. The julep is the official toast to the winning horse. Here is a great recipe for making this famous Southern drink –

Mint Julep

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• Sprigs of fresh mint
• Crushed ice
• Kentucky Whisky
• Silver Julep Cups

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 Early Times Kentucky Whiskey. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

This cup would also make a cute little vase when you aren't on the porch having a Mint Julep.

Thank you to everyone who commented on the Apple Blossom Fabric Necklace give-away. I will also be posting the name of the luck winner later today. Check back to see if you won!