Mint Julep
The key to any Mint Julep is the ice; once this cocktail is assembled, it does all of the work to achieve proper dilution and temperature. Making that ice can be a decidedly manual process... though it doesn't have to (shouldn't) be as intensely creepy as bartender Trish Gavin makes it look.
Sure, crushed ice from your home freezer could work, but wouldn't a mallet and Lewis Bag be more fun? Actually, the proper tools make crushed ice that consistently has the texture of a snow-cone, and an increased surface area that keeps this cocktail extra cold in the hot sun.
Ice also serves to dilute the whiskey, so that it doesn't overpower the mint, of your equilibrium.
Recipe:
- 2 oz Maker's Mark whiskey
- ½ oz simple syrup
- Fresh mint
Instructions:
Lightly slap or clap a handful of fresh mint (10-12 leaves) to release fragrance, and add a glass or silver Julep cup.
Pour in simple syrup, and muddle lightly; do not tear leaves to pieces.
Add whiskey, then ice, and stir until condensation forms on glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint leaves.
Handsome Hog serves 'pork centric' menu from the kitchen, and cocktails with a southern influence from behind the bar.
203 E. 6th Street
St. Paul, MN
(651) 340-7710