MUDDLED MINT JULEP

1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar

Fresh mint leaves

About 4 ounces bourbon

Crushed ice

Mint sprig, for garnish

Place sugar, about 5 mint leaves and a few drops of bourbon
in bottom of chilled glass or cup. Muddle or crush the mint
to create a thick, green paste in glass. Add 1 handful of
finely crushed ice. Place straw all the way to bottom of
cup, into green mint paste.

Pour 2 1/2 to 3 ounces of bourbon over ice. Add more
crushed ice, mounding to top of cup leaving straw peeking
about 1 inch above rim. Place fresh mint sprig near straw.
Makes 1 mint julep.


* INFUSED MINT JULEP
This recipe is best for a crowd, because you can make the
basic mixture several days ahead, then add ice.

Fresh mint

About 4 cups bourbon

1 cup spring or distilled water

1 cup granulated sugar

Confectioners' sugar

Strip about 40 small mint leaves from stems. Wash and place
leaves in a small bowl. Cover mint with 3 ounces bourbon.
Allow the leaves to soak 15 minutes. Gather mint in clean
cheesecloth or cotton cloth and wring the mint bundle over
the bowl. Dip leaves back into whiskey and repeat several
times. Set bowl aside and discard mint bundle.

To make simple syrup, mix 1 cup granulated sugar and 1
cup distilled water in pan. Over medium heat, stir to
dissolve sugar. Set syrup
aside to cool.

Pour 3 1/2 cups bourbon into large bowl or pitcher. Add
1 cup simple syrup. Begin adding mint extract 1 tablespoon
at a time. Stir and taste before adding another tablespoon.
Depending on the potency of the mint, you may need as many
as 3 tablespoons of mint extract. (The tendency is to add
too much.) Cover and refrigerate julep mixture for at least
24 hours to marry flavors.

To serve, fill each glass or cup half full with shaved ice.
Insert a sprig of mint, then pack in more ice to about 1
inch over top of cup. Then insert straw cut to 1 inch above
the top of the cup.

When frost forms on the outside of cup, pour refrigerated
julep mixture over the ice and add a sprinkle of con-
fectioners' sugar to the top of the ice. Makes about 10
juleps.

Enjoy!