A Mint Julep when poorly made will taste like cheap bourbon carelessly mixed with a thick syrup (probably a green syrup) and when swallowed has a leafy aftertaste of broken chunks of Mint Leaves stuck to your tongue - giving you the option of being daring and swallowing the leaf whole, or using one of your fingers to rescue the leaf from your bite and then send it to the trash. This my friends is the sad tale of how a once delightful southern drink is currently being made by those who have clearly forgotten that good things come to those who wait.
Now a proper Mint Julep will melt your cares away and refresh your being like a cool lazy Carolina breeze that has set sail from the sea just to join you as you both lay back and watch the sun's descent. So here's how you make that second, more proper Mint Julep. This recipe comes from the irreplaceable Esquire Handbook For Hosts, with a mild twist of my own.
You'll need to prepare these 30 minutes....yes 30 minutes before you wish to enjoy them or present them to your guests.
Pour a measure (per guest) of Kentucky Bourbon over several sprigs of mint and allow this to stand for half an hour (yes, seriously still half an hour).
Place glasses (must be glass) in the freezer.
In a large seperate glass dissolve a teaspoon of sugar (per guest) in a little water. When half an hour has passed, remove the mint from the bourbon (or whiskey) and pour into the glass of sugar and water. Pour this mixture back and forth between the two glasses until the liquids are well mixed.
Remove the Glasses from the freezer (with napkins or towels so not to leave fingermarks on the glass) fill with ice (preferably crushed) and pour the Bourbon / Sugar and Water mixture over it - add mint - and Stir briskly.
Enjoy.
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