May 7, 2011

On the Table: Mint Julep Punch

Happy Derby Day!!  Today is one of my favorite days of the year, not only because the race is super exciting, but also because I get to go full-out with the Southern-themed food.  Today I am going to share a recipe for a beverage rather than a food.  Unfortunately, I think mint juleps are pretty...not good.  Mint julep PUNCH, however, is fantastic!  (I can't remember where I got the original recipe - I would like to give credit where credit is due, but all I have is a handwritten copy).  To prepare:

Combine 2 cups of water and 10 ounces of mint jelly in a saucepan, and heat, stirring often, over medium heat until the jelly melts.  Allow the jelly mixture to cool, and in the meantime, in a large pitcher, combine 5.5 cups of pineapple juice (preferably the kind with no sugar added), half a cup of lime juice, and 2 cups of water.  When the jelly mixture has cooled, add it to the pitcher and stir well to combine.  Put the pitcher in the refrigerator overnight, or at least for several hours.  You will want all the ingredients to be cold, so also put a liter of bourbon and a 2 liter bottle of 7-Up (or about 6 cans) in the fridge.  When you are ready to prepare the punch, pour all the ingredients over ice (I use the ice cubes that don't melt, so as not to dilute the punch) and stir to combine.

Enjoy! (Fancy hats optional, but encouraged.)

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