Mint Julep

The Kentucky Derby is on May 7. Here are 10 variations on the classic mint julep to sip on this weekend.

The recipe calls for water, superfine sugar, bourbon, white peaches, and fresh mint. Now, they're one of the most popular drinks in the South. Instead of pouring herself a mint julep, Lawson created a recipe for mint-julep peaches. Ray's recipe contains mint sprigs, an orange peel, sugar, bitters, ice, bourbon, and a maraschino cherry for a garnish. The Food Network star's recipe calls for 10 mint leaves, superfine sugar, seltzer water, and crushed ice. Stewart's recipe calls for "superfine sugar," lemon juice, mint leaves, crushed ice, and bourbon, all muddled together.

Mint juleps are the official drink of the Derby. They aren't universally beloved by the folks who make them.

"I feel like if you have it the right way, to your desired sweetness, plus fresh mint in a cold julep tin with that little cap of crushed ice," Montgomery said. At the end of the day, making a mint julep requires all the labor of a mojito with all the taste of a bad, sad-looking old fashioned." Another fun way to zhuzh up a mint julep is to play with the syrup. "In addition to all of these things, you have to muddle the mint properly, then make sure you have a nice, aromatic bouquet for garnish instead of something with limp or wilted leaves. This is annoying, especially if you don't have the proper tools." Then you have to crush the ice by hand [and] during volume.

This year the proceeds from the thousand dollar Charity Mint Julep program will benefit Old Friends Farm in Georgetown.

The mint julep is, of course, a staple on Kentucky Derby day. It uses ingredients coming from the Palace of Versailles, like orange, lemon, pomegranate, and honey. "We are honored today to continue one of our storied Kentucky Derby traditions.

"Like a lot of traditions with the Kentucky Derby, some of these things just kind of happen almost accidentally," Goodlett said. He said in 1938 Churchill Downs ...