The following Kentucky creations will weave tradition into your Derby party.

A blend of sweetened bourbon with fresh mint fills a glass with Derby tradition.

Party Portions

Cracked ice
1 gallon of Kentucky Bourbon whiskey
1 batch of minted simple syrup
cutting of fresh mint, rinsed

Individual Drink Portions

2 jiggers of bourbon

1 jigger of mint syrup

1 sprig of fresh mint

Fill a chilled 16 oz sterling silver julep cup or Derby glass with cracked ice. Add 1 jigger of mint syrup and 2 jiggers of bourbon. Stir with a swizzle stick until the glass begins to frost. Add a sprig of mint and a straw cut to protrude just above the rim of the cup and serve.

Minted simple syrup:

1 cup cold water
1 cups sugar
1 bunch fresh mint (approx. 1 cup packed – stem and all)

Bring water and sugar to a boil over high heat. Boil, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add leaves from mint, bruising the leaves very gently as you stir. Cover and set aside overnight. Strain the syrup through cheesecloth. Discard the mint. Refrigerated the syrup will last for months. This is one recipe you can make weeks ahead!

Makes 32 juleps

Whether getting ready for the Derby event or enjoying a brunch the day after a fresh mimosa hits the spot!

1 quart orange juice
1 fifth Champagne
1 pint fresh strawberries

superfine sugar (optional)

Wet rims of champagne glasses and dip in sugar. Freeze glasses. Wash strawberries, but do not hull. Pour orange juice into a punch bowl set in ice. Pour Champagne over orange juice and stir once or twice. Ladle into glasses and garnish each with a split strawberry on the rim.

Or, for individual sized portions, pour champagne in a glass with a strawberry in it, splash with a shot of OJ. Voila!

For each Hot Brown
3 oz Turkey breast; roasted and sliced
1 slice toasted white bread
2 slices tomato
2 slices bacon, cooked and drained

Sauce
2 oz butter
3 oz flour
3/4 cup cream
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated
Salt and white pepper to taste

Heat butter and add flour. Whisk and slowly cook for 5 minutes. Whisk in cream and milk and heat. Whisk in cheese until melted. Season. Simmer for 30 minutes. Sauce should be very thick.

Quarter toast and place in an oven safe dish. Top with turkey and tomatoes. Cover well with sauce. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Garnish with bacon.

A tasty refreshing spread. My favorite way to serve this dish is spread on the bread of a BLT.

1 cucumber, peeled
1 medium onion
1 lb. cream cheese
2-3 drops green food coloring

Grate cucumber and onions (may use a food processor) and drain well in a strainer, pressing down with spoon to remove all liquid. Discard liquid. Add drained cucumbers and onion to cream cheese and mix well in food processor. Color with 2-3 drops of green food coloring.
Use as a sandwich spread or as a dip.

A great dish to feed the frenzied party goers!

3 lb Ready to Cook Broiler Chicken
12 cups Water
1/4 t Pepper
56 oz (2 cans) Tomatoes
1 cup Cubed Peeled Potatoes
2 cups Coarsely Chopped Carrots
1 cup Chopped Onion
1 cup Chopped Celery
2 T Packed Dark Brown Sugar
4 ea Whole Cloves
1 ea Bay Leaf
32 oz (2 cans) Butter Beans
2 lb Beef Shank Cross-cuts
1 T Salt
6 ea Slices Bacon
1 cup Chopped Green Pepper
1/4 t Crushed Dried Red Pepper
1 ea Clove Garlic, Minced
| 4 ea Ears Of Fresh Corn
10 oz Frozen Cut Okra
2/3 c Unbleached All-purpose Flour

In 10-quart Dutch oven or stock pot combine chicken, beef cross cuts, water, salt and pepper. Cover; cook until meat is tender, about 1 hour. Remove chicken and beef from broth, reserving broth. Remove chicken and beef from bones; discard skin and bones. Cube beef and chicken. Set aside. Cook bacon until crisp; drain, reserving drippings. Crumble bacon, set aside. To reserved broth in Dutch oven, add cubed beef, undrained tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, green pepper, sugar, red pepper, cloves, garlic, and bay leaf. Cover; simmer 1 hour, stirring often. Remove cloves and bay leaf. With knife, make cuts down center of each row of corn kernels and scrape off of cobs. Add corn, cubed chicken, undrained beans, and okra to Dutch oven; simmer 20 minutes. Blend flour and reserved bacon drippings; stir into stew. Cook until stew thickens. Salt to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve hot with baking powder biscuits.

For dessert, come down the stretch with this rich traditional treat!

2 eggs, slightly beaten
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted and cooled
1 cup chopped English walnuts or pecans
6-oz package chocolate chips
1 tablespoon 100 proof Bourbon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked 9" pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs, flour, Kentucky Bourbon, and vanilla. Add chocolate chips and nuts. Stir well. Pour into partially baked pie shell and bake for 45 minutes, or until center is set. Cool 30 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (and maybe a sippin’ shot of fine Kentucky Bourbon).

You can never have enough bourbon flavored items at a Derby party! (These are great holiday treats for your party guest, so they will begin craving the next year’s party.)

1 box powdered sugar
1/4 lb. butter, melted (or a teenie bit less)
1/3 cup Bourbon Whiskey
1 cup pecans (whole)
4-5 squares chocolate
2 teaspoons paraffin

Mix sugar, butter and Bourbon together and make into balls. Chill overnight. Dip balls into melted chocolate and paraffin, adding whole pecan to the top of each candy before chocolate sets.

Of course no party is complete without Backyard Bookie software! For tips on how to use BackYard Bookie at your party click here.

In addition to our software consider….

…having all your guest wear a wild hat

This theme works for the elegant event as well as the infield-type crazy party!

…having all guest where silks

While most of your guest will probably not fit into jockey silks, most will have a favorite silk shirt. This is guaranteed to add color and style to your party!

…prepare a trivia game while waiting for post time

Go to Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby Museum sites to get information.

…help everyone sing along

Print copies of the lyrics to My Old Kentucky Home along with the day’s menu and a statement of appreciation for your guests. Guests can keep this as a souvenir of the day.

MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME
By Stephen Foster