Get the best bourbon whiskey you can.
Make some sugar syrup. Equal weights of sugar and water (i.e. pound sugar/pint water boiled gently until sugar is dissolved. Some people use 2 pounds sugar to one pint water.
Put the glasses in the freezer.
Pick your mint and wash it. Set aside some sprigs for garnish.
Get lots of mint because you are only going to use the most succulent and tender leaves.
When I have a mint julep party I will put a jar of whiskey with lots of mint in it in the freezer a few hours before the guests come. You don't want to do it too long or too much menthol gets extracted and the stuff starts to taste like weird toothpaste.
Crushing the ice:
My favorite method is using a Vitamix. If I had one, I'd get an ice shaver. My parents use to have a strong canvas bag and a wooden mallet. I would put the bag in the freezer before crushing the ice to reduce melting during crushing.
You really can't crush the ice ahead of time to get the right consistency. What you want is really finely crushed ice.
Okey dokey...
Get a jigger or other measuring device. . mix 2 fl.oz. (mint soaked then strained) booze with 1 teaspoon (or so) sugar syrup - you want to avoid getting it too sweet, but SOME sweet really is important IMHO.
Crush more ice than you think you will need.
Put ice in cup, put your 2 fl. oz. booze in cup. Muddle with a chopstick or some such until the ice/booze make a slush, add more ice and more booze and muddle away until glass is full of ice and booze.
Personally I think 3 fl. oz. of booze is about right. Taste for sweetness and MAYBE (probably not) add a little bit more sugar syrup) Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve immediately with a napkin for the guest to hold the glass with.
I say "glass" but if you have a nice silver cup it's even better. I sometimes use my baby mug. If everything worked right the vessel will be coated with frost.
If you have two of these do not plan to drive for several hours.
Mad Dawg
(7/19/02)
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