Two blogs or so ago I retired to my chaise longue and dreamt of mint juleps. The mint julep pixies provided for me and it was a life changing experience. Yes, I felt like I was in an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, in fact I think I was actually one made flesh. Very unsuitably rounded ample flesh rather than board like 20s flapper like flesh but definitely created by the great man himself or would have been if he had stayed off the Mint Juleps to live longer. So here it is. The sun seems to have returned so it felt like a good idea. Enjoy.
Per person (if they only want one drink)
4 fresh sprigs of mint - well, how much is a sprig? It's a sprig! which is a fancy word for twiggish stalk thing.
2.5 fluid oz Bourbon or similar (don't be put off thinking you don't like whiskey, this is something altogether different)
1 tsp powdered sugar2 tsp water
Muddle mint leaves (rip them off the sprigs), sugar and water. Some would make the sugar and water into a syrup first, for ease of blending. But you can just muddle. Not sure how to muddle a mint leaf? look at it firmly, tell it first that Keynesian economic policies are an outmoded method of reinvigorating an underperforming economy, then tell it that monetarists' approches to fiscal stimulation are SOOOOO last century, then say you are going to give up cash and only obtain goods from Freecycle and services from TimeBanking. It'll be muddled by then or my name's not George Osborne. Oh, OK, muddling means mix it up with a stumpy pokey stick to release the aromatic flavours.
Fill glass with shaved or crushed ice. How to shave a block of ice? I still don't really know but I do know if you wrap the ice in a tea towel and whack it madly with a rolling pin, you will crush the thing.
Add bourbon.
Top up with more ice and another sprig mint for looks.
Serve with a Straw (by clicking on the top right hand link to Left Foot Forward?). Or serve with a straw.
If you want to make in bulk, do all the above but in a cocktail shaker in multiple quantities. Try not to think of Tom Cruise. That's a good motto for life.
Mint juleps feature in Barb's lyrics for Mabel Stark...now I know what goes in one.. Bourbon however covers a multitude of sins...it's just American whiskey isn't it? Which brand should I be using? Can I use rum instead (I think there's some in the pantry)?
ReplyDeleteBourbon is indeed american whiskey and no, I don't think you can use rum, that is for cocktails of the caipirinha/mojito part of the spectrum, but don't waste good whiskey, use whatever you can get hold of. It is so delicious and I promise you won't taste the whiskey as whiskey. enjoy.
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