Lemon Mint Julep Food

BIG-BATCH LEMON-MINT JULEP

Steps:

• Squeeze 16 of the lemons, reserving the rinds and juice. In a large saucepan, combine 3 cups of the sugar and 3 cups water, stirring until dissolved. Add the lemon rinds, and cook over medium heat until the liquid becomes syrupy, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand until room temperature. Remove, and discard lemon rinds. Stir in the lemon juice, about 4 cups.
• Spread remaining 1/2 cup sugar on a small plate. Cut the remaining lemon into quarters. Rub the wedges along the rims of 16 mint-julep cups or tall glasses, and invert the glasses in the sugar to create a sugared rim.
• Crush a few mint leaves into the bottom of each glass with a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon. Fill each glass with ice cubes, and pour 1/2 cup of lemon syrup in each glass. Top off with about 1 1/2 ounces of bourbon per glass. Garnish each glass with a fresh sprig of mint.

FROZEN LEMON MINT JULEPS

Steps:

• Combine the bourbon and spearmint in a large pitcher, cover and chill for at least 12 hours.
• Remove the zest from the lemon in strips with a vegetable peeler and cut away any white pith (the pith imparts a bitter flavor).
• In a small saucepan over moderately-low heat, combine the zest, 1/2 cup water and the sugar. Bring up to boil and cook until the liquid gets all syrupy, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep 30 minutes. Remove the zest and add the juice from the lemon.
• Pour half the mint-infused bourbon, half the lemon syrup and enough ice to reach up to the top of the blender and puree until smooth. Carefully divide it among 3 goblets and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Garnish each with a sprig of mint and enjoy!
• What Makes This Recipe Really Sing: Really try and find fresh spearmint leaves. The flavor is so different from regular mint leaves that you normally use.
• BYOC: How about a Maraschino cherry? They are such a fun throwback garnish.

MINT JULEPS

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar and chopped mint leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow syrup to cool, approximately 1 hour. Pour syrup through a strainer to remove mint leaves
• Fill eight cups or frozen goblets with crushed ice and pour 4 ounces of bourbon and 1/4 cup mint syrup in each. (Proportions can be adjusted depending on each person's sweet tooth). Top each cup with a mint sprig and a straw. Trim straws to just barely protrude from the top of the cups. Serve juleps on a silver platter.

LEMON-AND-MINT JULEP

Steps:

• Lemon Simple Syrup: Heat sugar, 1 cup water, and lemon zest in a small saucepan over high, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; let cool 20 minutes. Remove zest; let cool completely. Syrup can be refrigerated up to 1 week. (Makes 1 1/2 cups.)
• Cocktail: In the bottom of a julep cup, muddle mint leaves with 1 tablespoon syrup for a few seconds until mint starts to break down. Add bourbon and fill cup with ice; stir until well chilled. Top with more ice and garnish with mint sprig.

FROZEN MINT JULEP

Steps:

• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the mint leaves. Allow to steep until cooled. Once cooled, strain out the leaves.
• Combine half of the mint syrup, 4 cups ice, and 1 cup bourbon in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a pitcher. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Rub the rims of julep cups, if available, or wide-mouthed, long-stemmed glasses with orange slices and dip the rims in sugar, then fill with the frozen mint juleps. Garnish each with an orange slice and mint sprig and serve immediately.

KENTUCKY MOCK MINT JULEP

Steps:

• rinse mint and discard stems.
• Mix sugar, water, and juice in medium bowl.
• Stir in mint leaves.
• Let stand 30 minutes.
• Fill large pitcher with ice.
• Strain liquid over ice.
• Add ginger ale and lemon slices.
• Serve in tall glasses with lemon slices to garnish.

SPARKLING MINT & LEMON JULEPS

Steps:

• Put the sugar and lemon juice in a small pan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 2 minutes to make a syrup. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. This can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to a week.
• To serve, pour the lemon syrup into 6 champagne flutes or tall glasses, top up each glass with the chilled sparkling wine, then stir quickly to mix before serving with mint sprigs tucked in the top.

LEMON-MINT JULEP

Steps:

• Using back of spoon, mash mint leaves, sugar, and lemon juice in small bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Strain mixture into tall glass, pressing on mint with back of spoon. Mix in bourbon. Fill with ice. Garnish with fresh mint sprig and serve.