A Homemade Derby Day
The Kentucky Derby is coming up on Saturday, May 4. Apparently, it’s the 150th anniversary of this illustrious horse race -- of which I know virtually nothing. Nothing, that is, other than there is a tradition to drink mint juleps at the Kentucky Derby.
I had never had a
mint julep and didn’t even know what it was so, a few years back, I decided I
wanted to try it out on the first Saturday in May (the day the Kentucky Derby
is always held).
A mint julep is
made by mixing bourbon, sugar, ice, and fresh mint. The ratios and preparations
vary, but the simple ingredients are basically the same. When I was researching
recipes for mint juleps I came across an article explaining how 100 years ago high
society southern young men would host parties and debut their personal recipe
for a mint julep. I was going to cite that article for this column but I can’t
find it or any references to it so perhaps while playing high class Kentuckian
on my back porch a few year ago I invented this idea.
Anyway, we had a
mint plant so I had fresh mint and I muddled it in a glass (which is an act so controversial
in the realm of mint juleps any southern Belle who read that might have
fainted) and prepared my first mint julep. I took a sip.
There was a
journalist in the late 1800s named J. Soule Smith who wrote a poem of sorts
about the mint julep. I guess 19th century journalism wasn’t as
laser focused on the news as I thought. In this poem he says mint juleps are,
“the very dream of drinks.”
After my first
sip I said, “meh.” I thought it over and decided it was possible I had done a
poor job making this renowned drink but it was more likely I didn’t have the
environment right. I was supposed to be debuting my mint julep to society and
here I was sipping it all alone. I decided what I needed was society. So I
invited the five boys (this was a few years ago) to hang out on the back porch.
Once the boys
were milling about, I took another sip. I still wasn’t experiencing the “Zenith
of man’s pleasure” per J. Soule Smith’s ode, so I considered the mint julep
sipping environment again.
Maybe the
excitement of competition is an important factor to the enjoyment of a mint
julep? So, I got out the washers and challenged the boys to a game. We played
and I took another sip but I still wouldn’t call it anything special.
Then I realized
it must be the specific excitement of a horse race that really completes the
julep. I took a gander over the five thoroughbreds (more like Shetland ponies)
that were the boys and set up a racecourse in the backyard. Off they went!
Now this was
more like it! Here’s comes the oldest on the inside…but the little one is
pulling up strong… Oh, the racer in slot four just tripped on a Cozy Coop and
took out number two and number three!
I could almost
hear the announcer calling the race to the crowd at the Derby as the remaining
boys raced neck and neck to the finish.
I took another
sip. And you know what? It was still “meh.” I guess I don’t really get the
Kentucky Derby or mint juleps.
Then again, I
did learn that they have a knack for making a short and simple race seem extra
exciting. So maybe I figured out the secret to the mint julep after all.