Mint julep

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Mint Julep in a silver cup. By stirring with crushed ice, the drinking vessel is iced from the outside.

The mint julep is an alcoholic cocktail from mint , bourbon whiskey , sugar or sugar syrup and crushed ice ( crushed ice ). The International Bartenders Association lists the drink together with other well-known cocktails in the Contemporary Classics category (for example: Contemporary Classics ).

history

The Mint Julep is considered to be one of the oldest ancestors of the cocktail. It was mixed before the term “cocktail” even came up (see cocktail # word origin ). Records from the 18th century show that the drink originated in the American southern states , where it was preferably drunk in the morning - albeit with rum instead of whiskey. Drinking cocktails as a morning invigorating drink was not uncommon in earlier centuries and has a long tradition. For example, William Terrington defined cocktails in London in 1869 as “mixtures that are preferred by early birds to strengthen their virility.” The drink was first mentioned in writing, presumably in 1783:

“Mrs. P___ [...] during the winter of 1782 was much troubled with what she supposed to be stomach complaints. She [...] had taken variety of medicines without any relief. Feb. 20th, 1783, I was first consulted and found her [...] with frequent retching, and, at times, a difficulty of swallowing. I then prescribed her an emetic [...] and a mint julep. The symptoms were alleviated, and she seemed better for a few days. "

"Mrs. P___ [...] suffered from something in the winter of 1782 that she classified as a stomach ache. She [...] had taken a variety of medication without any improvement. I was consulted for the first time on February 20, 1783 and found her [...], often choking and, now and then, with difficulty swallowing. I then prescribed her emetic and a mint julep. This alleviated the symptoms and she seemed to be better for a few days. "

- Medical Communications, Volume 1 (1784), p. 242.

From the southern states of the drink was allegedly the 19th century by Senator beginning Henry Clay (1777-1852) to Washington, DC and in the northern states introduced the United States by the drink - in the 1830s - in the Round Robin Bar of Willard Hotels should have presented. Today, the Mint Julep is not only the Round Robin Bar's signature drink , but can also be found in bars all over the world.

The term is made up of the English word for mint, mint and julep , which is derived from the Persian word julab for rose water . The latter was brought to Europe by the Crusades , where it was used as a sweet syrup in the administration of medicine.

Preparation and variations

The International Bartenders Association recommends a preparation with 6 cl bourbon whiskey, 4 fresh sprigs of mint, 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar and two teaspoons of water. First, mint and sugar are crushed in the water in a highball glass . Then the glass is filled with crushed ice and the bourbon is added. The drink is stirred and garnished with a mint stick. It is traditionally served in a silver or pewter cup .

Reception and trivia

The Mint Julep has been the official drink of the traditional Kentucky Derby horse race since 1938 . It is estimated that more than 120,000 juleps will be served to 170,000 guests during the two-day event. The tradition goes back to the story that founder Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. grew sprigs of mint for Mint Julep in his garden.

The cocktail is also mentioned several times in film and literature, for example in Margaret Mitchell's southern epic Gone with the Wind or in Francis Scott Fitzgerald's socially critical novel The Great Gatsby . In the film Goldfinger , the drink is touted by the title character: “Mint Julep? My house drink, very tasty. ” . In Billy Wilder's comedy One, Two, Three , James Cagney as MacNamara says about the city of Atlanta : "This is Siberia with Mint Juleps" . And in the film Thank You for Smoking it is even given to the captain ( Robert Duvall ) to rest. One Mint Julep is the title of a song by Rudolph Toombs from 1952, the interpretation of which by Ray Charles reached number one in the charts in 1961.

literature

  • Joe Nickell: The Kentucky Mint Julep . University Press of Kentucky, Lexington 2003. ISBN 0813122759

Web links

Wikibooks: Cocktails / Mint Julep  - learning and teaching materials

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b International Bartenders Association: Mint Julep . Last accessed on January 22, 2018.
  2. ↑ a b c Heuser, Bastian: Mint Juleps. Refreshing and strong. . In: mixology.eu . Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  3. ^ Terrington, William: Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks. George Routledge & Sons, London 1869, p. 190.
  4. ^ : Medical Communications , Volume 1, 1784.
  5. ^ A b History of The Round Robin Bar . In: washington.intercontinental.com . Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  6. ↑ Pardilla, Caroline: Surprise ... The Kentucky Derby Hasn't Sold Real Mint Juleps in 18 Years . In: eater.com . Retrieved January 22, 2018.