Cocktails/Brews Mint Julep

mint julep
(from The Lady's Receipt-book: A Useful Companion for Large Or Small Families, by Eliza Leslie, 1847)

Ingredients:

dozen sprigs of young and tender mint​

1 large tea-spoonful of fine white sugar​

peach-brandy​

ice​

slice of pine-apple​

​

a cluster of mint-sprigs for ornamentation​

Instructions:

Put into the bottom of a tumbler, about a dozen sprigs of young and tender mint. Upon them place a large tea-spoonful of fine white sugar; and then pour on peach-brandy, so as to reach nearly one-third the height of the tumbler. Fill up with ice, pounded fine; and lay on the top a thin slice of pine-apple, cut across into four pieces. As an ornament, stick into the centre a handsome cluster of mint-sprigs, so as to rise far above the edge of the tumbler. It will be the better for standing awhile, in a vessel of finely-broken ice.​

 

[donna]

Another great recipe. There is nothing like a mint julep, as my Granny would say.

 

[nitrofd]

Albert always comes up with good stuff so we bump this thread for its national food day.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Like the idea of using peach brandy with the mint as I've had mint peach iced tea and it's quite delicious and refreshing. Thanks for the great old time recipe. Love hidden treasures like that!

 

[mofederal]

I wonder how it tastes. I am not a huge fan of peach tea, but I have had peach brandy.

 

[AshleyMel]

Yum, peach brandy!

My daughter loves to visit Disneyland and they have a little place in New Orleans square where she gets Mint Juleps (non-alcoholic, of course! It's Disney). I think those particular ones taste like spearmint toothpaste but, she loves them. I will take the adult version any day!

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

I wonder how it tastes. I am not a huge fan of peach tea, but I have had peach brandy.

Well peach brandy is sweet and syrupy (not sure I would add the fine white sugar from the recipe, personally) while the mint is fresh, herb-y and tangy, so basing it off the flavors I'd say they no doubt compliment each other well and anything minty with ice is bound to refresh you.

 

[huskerblitz]

I've only had one mint julep when I visited Charleston. It was harsh and not a very pleasant experience but I drank it all. May have been the way the place made it but I may have to try one again when we visit Charleston later this summer.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

I've only had one mint julep when I visited Charleston. It was harsh and not a very pleasant experience but I drank it all. May have been the way the place made it but I may have to try one again when we visit Charleston later this summer.

Sounds to me they didn't use smooth enough bourbon for your julep. Or they overdid the bourbon portion and put too much in.

As an aside the peach brandy version is not considered a"traditional" mint julep. The one you receive when you order one at a bar is just bourbon, water, sugar, fresh mint and crushed ice. So, if inexpensive bourbon is used (or a very high alcohol content variety) then it'll be harsh.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

I make my own Peach Brandy for my reenacting Pards when we go to events.....It gets drunk up before I can park my car!!

 

[nitrofd]

Albert,

I make my own Peach Brandy for my reenacting Pards when we go to events.....It gets drunk up before I can park my car!!

you are into shine.good.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Albert,

you are into shine.good.

Actually, I buy regular brandy, pour it in a mason jar (so the peaches will fit). Then, I peel and quarter as many peaches as I can get to fit into the jar. I let that sit for at least a week in a dark cabinet. Then I pour it into my period-correct bottles to take to reenactments.

 

[nitrofd]

Actually, I buy regular brandy, pour it in a mason jar (so the peaches will fit). Then, I peel and quarter as many peaches as I can get to fit into the jar. I let that sit for at least a week in a dark cabinet. Then I pour it into my period-correct bottles to take to reenactments.

We used to do a trick one of our Italian friends taught us to do....take a mason jar and fill it with fresh cherries and then pour in a bottle of 190 proof grain neutral spirits and let it sit in the pantry for about 6 months..great cherries but you have to cut the juicecwith water as 95% alcholol is just too tough to handle.

 

[donna]

A favorite drink at Derby Time. Thought highlight this one from Albert.