I may be a Northerner by birth, but, having spent over a year in Alabama, I’ve found that I’m a Southerner at heart. I love the people, their incredible caring and hospitality, the way they slow down and enjoy life. While there, I developed a great affection for hush puppies, buttermilk biscuits, banana pudding, sweet tea and mint juleps.
My friend Mary and I were talking about this today and about how we wish we could take a trip to the Kentucky Derby, wear big floppy extravagant hats which we’d flounce around in, and drink our mint juleps while watching the races!
At this point, her daughter Cassidy and her friend ran to get their hats and pose for a picture. This is derby stylin’!
After taking some pics of the girls, I decided to make Mary one of my famous Mint Juleps, the offical Derby drink, so that we could sit back and relax for a spell.
This is how I make my Mint Juleps:
First of all, you need some fresh mint – the fresher, the better.
I take about 8 mint leaves and place them in a bowl. On top of that you can add 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar, depending on taste. Now, comes my favorite, and perhaps, the most important part. Muddle the mint and the sugar. Don’t pulverize it, just crush it. If you don’t have a muddler, you can use the handle of a wooden spoon. The reason to muddle the mint is to release the concentrated essential oils in the leaves so they can infuse the bourbon (or iced tea). You can do this in a glass, but I like using a bowl to really get in there.
Now, add 4 oz. of good bourbon. At this point, I transfer the mixture into a tumbler with some crushed ice if you have it. Shake well.
As I didn’t have a tumbler today, I filled the glass with ice cubes instead.
Pour the mixture into your favorite glass and garnish with a mint sprig or two! And, there you have it – amazingly cool and refreshing.
If you want a non-alcoholic version, replace the bourbon with iced tea and add your muddled mint mixture.
Staying Fresh and Clean in any situation
Relaxing with a good friend and chatting over a cold drink is one of the pleasures of life, and another pleasure is feeling clean and refreshed, especially if you’re out in the hot sun at a sporting event or a concert. In those cases, I’ve often wished for a better restroom experience.
With more than 165,000 people attending the Kentucky Derby each year, the bathrooms are nearly as busy as the betting windows. This year, Cottonelle is upgrading the bathroom experience onsite, providing Cottonelle TP and flushable cleansing cloths across the bathrooms giving attendees the opportunity to get clean and fresh while at the race. How cool is that?
More coolness
The Cottonelle Great Finish Sweepstakes:
Cottonelle is upping the ante at this year’s Kentucky Derby and launching “The Cottonelle Great Finish”. This is an awesome giveaway that will reward Americans with a year supply of Cottonelle products if the No. 1 and No. 2 positioned racehorses place in that order during the race. The odds are with you! If you want to get in on the fun, you can sign up at the Cottonelle landing page.
The first 15,000 entrants to sign up will be awarded a year’s supply of Cottonelle toilet paper and flushable cleansing cloths if the outcome aligns!
So, hurry and get on it! Win a year’s supply of Cottonelle!
How to Enter!
1. Visit the Cottonelle landing page
2. Click on the Cottonelle Great Finish Giveaway
3. Click on “Sign up now”
4. Register for the Cottonelle Updates website
Cottonelle Toilet Paper and Cleansing Cloths are big winners here at my home. They’re always in my bathrooms for family and guests and I carry the portable packs in my purse.
How do you keep clean and fresh in any situation?
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Cottonelle, but my love for their flushable wipes is all my own!
This really helps in the summer down in Florida where the heat is unbearable. I guess that is everywhere in the summer. 🙂
Wow this seems like such a cool contest, I would love to win. Love the recipe for the mint julips too!
I have never made a mint julep… that is pretty cool. Thanks for the recipe and post
You had me at Mint Julep, now it’s basically all I can think about! I use Cottonelle flushable wipes too, I even take the travel sized ones when I go out of town! PS I love your new blog design!!!
I know! They’re so refreshing. Thanks for the kind words. It feels much more spacious now.
I have never had a mint julep but it looks delish!
Mint is the flavor of summer- thanks for the great post!
I’ve always wanted to go to the Kentucky Derby! What a fun contest and thanks for the drink recipe!
What a great giveaway. I’ll definitely enter.
I think I will be making your juleps, but with iced tea! Cottonelle is having a great giveaway- who wouldn’t want to win a year’s supply of toilet paper?
I’ve never had a mint julep! I make mint sun tea though
I love the hats! So fun! We keep fresh with cottonelle too!
My BFF and I went to the Kentucky Derby together in 2012 – it was SO much fun! Unfortunately the horse I bet on didn’t even place, but the atmosphere at Churchill Downs is something else!
I do not drink but the mint sounds nice and refreshing!
Yum, this sounds so refreshing!! I want to grow some mint this year.
I think I belong in the south myself. I hate the hustle and bustle of the north!
I think I’d like to go to the Derby one day as well, if for no other reason than to dress the part. It just all sounds so much fun.
What a brilliant way to prep Mint for a cool refreshing drink! I’d seriously want to try that with some hot cocoa or fruity Crystal Light!
I have never had a mint julep before! Looks tasty!
This is so much fun, you know.. I’ve never had a Mint Julep.. so thanks so much for this tasty fun recipe! I can’t wait to try it!
I love they are doing this fun giveaway. I am going to go enter myself.
I love all the fun parties around the Kentucky Derby.
I’m loving the hats! Are “official derby drinks” allowed outside the derby? Those look quite tasty.
I would like to go to a derby one day too! I agree that it life is great when you can relax with a friend.
I’ve never had a Mint Julep before. I will have to try one. Thanks for sharing.
I think the Kentucky Derby would be a neat experience I’d like to try someday. What is muddle though? Is that the samething as using a mortar and pestle?
I have never had a mint julep-but then I don’t like bourbon–maybe I will like it with iced tea. I do love the taste of mint. Those people at the Derby are going to be happy Cottenelle is supplying the toilet paper and wipes!
I didn’t know Mint Juleps were so easy to make! Thanks for sharing the directions.
What a great post! I’m going to try that drink and I’m racing off to enter the giveaway now! Thank you!
I headed on over to Cottonelle to enter. TP is something that every household needs. As for the mint julep – I’ll take the nonalcoholic version please.
Your Mint Julep looks delish! I’ve never made one before, but maybe I’ll try it when we’re watching the derby this weekend.
That is definitely a prize that I would like to win! Imagine how much money that will save!
A visit to the derby would be such a memorable experience!
I’ve never had a Mint Julep before but it sounds very refreshing!
I love mint juleps with tea. They are so good.
And what a great sweepstakes.
That’s a cool Mint recipe!!
My mom got me watching the derby as a little girl just like those little ones! I haven’t missed more than a handful and those are the most exciting minutes ever! I’ve never had a Mint Julep (not a bourbon fan) but nice to know how to make one!
Mint Juleps looks wonderful to try. How refreshing and the derby looks like a fun day also.
I have never had a Mint Julep..or wore a big crazy floppy hat.I need to try both! 😀
I have never had a mint julep– this looks good!
I have never had a Mint Julep. My Mom use to make a lot of sun tea and place mints in the jar. That was yummy. I need to try a mint julep.