HerKentucky Bourbon Punch Recipe on the Draper James Blog!
I'm so excited to share my bourbon punch recipe on the Draper James blog today! I love the Draper James brand; it's one of my favorites for preppy, Southern classics. And, of course, Draper James's founder, Reese Witherspoon, has been one of my very favorite actresses since her Sweet Home Alabama days!
Check out my post here, and click here for $20 off your next Draper James online purchase!
Thanks so much to my dear friend Cathy of Dogladyhorsecrazy for the gracious use of her river house for the photo shoot and for the fun pic of me!
Kentucky Derby Mint Julep Party
Catstudio Kentucky Derby dish towel from High Street Fly. | Woodford Reserve julep cup from Woodford Reserve Gift Shop. | Kentucky Derby 143 Official Mint Julep Glass | Louisville Stoneware julep cups from Maker's Mark and Buffalo Trace Distilleries.
The mint julep is the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby. It's also one of the most maligned and misunderstood. A julep can be a lovely and refreshing cocktail when you use good bourbon, a fresh simple syrup and just-picked mint sprigs.
The first step to a great julep party is variety. Set up tasting stations so your guests can sample juleps made from different bourbon expressions. It's a great way to determine how the drink works for your palate. Some folks swear a julep needs to be in the traditional silver cup, others want a traditional Derby Glass, and some of us love the feel of a Louisville Stoneware Julep Cup. (The Stoneware cups are my favorite because they keep your drink cold without the condensation of a metal cup!
Bar towels from Maker's Mark and Woodford Reserve Distilleries. Rose garland from Etsy seller thekindpilot.
You're bound to have some guests who don't want a julep -- there's always that Kentuckian -- so stock some bourbons and ryes that are good for sipping or for making other, less Derby-approved cocktails.
Decorate with red roses and horseshoes and serve a couple of traditional munchies. I like a Derby Pie® and some Benedictine sandwiches cut in fun shapes!
To learn more about the mint julep, visit the Kentucky Derby Book website, where you'll see a video of Woodford Reserve's Chief Entertainment Officer Tim Laird making the perfect mint julep and read more about the classic mint julep cocktail with Woodford Reserve Master Taster Elizabeth McCall.
The Kentucky Derby by Bill Doolittle is a wonderful companion to the Greatest Two Minutes in Horse Racing. The book's Digimarc technology allows you to experience live video of Derby races, Derby fashion, and traditions like the mint julep directly on your smartphone! You can buy the hardback coffee table book here, or you can download the eBook from Amazon or iTunes.
(This post was sponsored by the Kentucky Derby Book. All opinions are my own.)
Coopers' Craft and Ale-8 Bourbon Cocktail
A refreshing spring bourbon cocktail made with Kentucky's own Coopers' Craft bourbon and Ale-8-One.
Spring is here and it's time for refreshing cocktails. Coopers' Craft reached out to me to try their bourbon cocktail made with Ale-8-One, and I'm so glad they did! It's like a crisp mix between a mint julep, a Kentucky Mule, and bourbon and ginger ale!
Coopers' Craft is the newest bourbon from Brown-Forman; only the third bourbon in their lineup! It's a low (82.2) proof and is great for mixing. The brand name pays homage to the Brown-Forman cooperage, the only cooperage owned by an American whiskey company, which allows for precision in selecting the woods selected for the barrels.
Of course, Ale-8-One is a Kentucky original as well. The unique ginger ale-type soft drink has been bottled in Winchester since 1926, and is something of a cult classic for Central Kentuckians. It pairs nicely with the soft, baked apple notes in the Cooper's Craft for a fresh, crisp cocktail.
Just mix two parts Coopers' Craft bourbon to four parts Ale-8 and serve over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge and a mint sprig for springtime in a cup!
Pink Grapefruit Margarita
Today is National Margarita Day, which seems like a pretty great way to celebrate a Monday!
Now, a lot of us hear margarita and instantly think of the tequila-heavy, straight-from-the-blender versions that we may have ordered on 2-for-1 day way too many times in our 20s. These days, I tend to gravitate toward a subtler variant that utilizes freshly squeezed juice. Freshly squeezed pink grapefruit, Meyer lemon, or blood orange juice makes for a fabulously fresh cocktail!
- 1 cup fresh Ruby Red grapefruit juice
- 1 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup Cointreau
- 1/2 cup tequila
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Kosher Salt
Stir together the grapefruit juice, lime juice, Cointreau, tequila, and agave syrup in a pitcher, and mix with ice cubes. Rub the rims of 4 rocks glasses with the edge of the lime, and dip in kosher salt. Strain the cocktail into prepared rocks glasses.
Corner Restaurant & Bar
Louisville's newest hotel bar offers unique flavors and amazing craft cocktails!
One of the questions I'm asked most frequently is "Where is a really great hotel in Louisville? I'd like to stay in a nice hotel with good food and a good bar."
Of course, my answer is that the perfect Louisville hotel varies wildly upon your destination, purpose for traveling, and budget. My new favorite to add to the list is the brand-new Downtown Louisville Aloft, especially Corner Bar & Restaurant, across from Whiskey Row.
My beau and I visited Corner on a recent Saturday afternoon. The lively crowd were clearly still celebrating a U of L win from earlier that day -- your Cards ticket stub serves as a ticket for one free drink at Corner! -- and the mood was festive and fun. We may have even seen a local Congressman in the crowd...
The coasters at Corner feature my favorite local mural!
We sat down for a drink and some appetizers, and were impressed by the attention to detail. The whiskey menu was broken down by distillery. We ordered a pair of Old-Fashioneds. Mine, with Maker's Mark, featured delightful details like house-made maraschino cherries. Bob's, with Woodford Reserve, paired the whiskey's high vanilla note with the orange peel garnish for a deliciously smooth finish.
We ordered a pair of appetizers from the Game Day Menu. The beer cheese fondue from the three dips and chips trio was outstanding, but the real star was the brussels sprouts with candied jalapeno and apple vinaigrette.
We then moved up to the bar for a cocktail lesson from Ashley, Corner's resident mixologist. Let me tell you, this lady knows what she's doing.
Ashley worked with her patrons' flavor profiles to create drinks she thought they'd enjoy. She put so much care into every detail of the drinks, from basics like bloody marys or pina coladas on up to more complex libations.
The presentation was stunning, and the cocktails were amazing.
Thanks so much to Corner for the opportunity to come visit! We'll definitely be back soon!
Woodford Reserve & Ale 8 Slush
Delicious frozen punch recipe with a bourbon kick!
Happy National Bourbon Day, y'all!
Here's a recipe for a delicious punch that will let you beat the heat with two of Kentucky's favorite flavors -- Woodford Reserve and Ale-8 -- and a tangy citrus twist. You can serve it in a punch bowl for a party or picnic, or keep in the freezer to scoop out as you like!
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups strong tea
- 2 cups Woodford Reserve
- 3/4 cup sugar or Splenda
- One 6-ounce container frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
- Two 6-ounce containers frozen lemon juice concentrate, thawed
- Ale-8-1 or Diet Ale-8
Combine the water, tea, bourbon, sugar, orange and lemon juice concentrate in a large container or bowl, and mix until sugar dissolves.
Pour into two gallon-size freezer bags or large covered plastic container. Freeze overnight. Scoop slush into glasses and top with Ale-8. Garnish with mint sprigs.
Happy National Bourbon Day, and cheers, y'all!
Bourbon Hot Chocolate
With the Bluegrass State well into its millionth snow day of 2015, we could all use a treat. This hot chocolate is rich, warm, and bourbon-y. (As y'all have heard me say countless times, I prefer to use a spicy, wheated bourbon like Maker's Mark in chocolate recipes.) The bourbon can easily be omitted to make a family-friendly treat; it's still pretty delicious. The secret to this recipe is to let the chocolate-covered marshmallows melt and create a swirly, special topping.
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup raw sugar
- Dash salt
- ½ cup boiling water
- 3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup Kentucky bourbon whiskey
- Trader Joe’s chocolate-covered marshmallows
- Sift cocoa powder, sugar, and salt and add to medium saucepan. Add boiling water and whisk until smoorth
- Turn the burner to medium heat.
- Add milk, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat; add vanilla and bourbon.
- Pour in mugs and add marshmallows. Allow marshmallows to melt, creating a swirled topping.