No cocktail soothes my summertime blues like a mint julep. This bourbony beverage hails from the South, where they know a thing or two about knock-you-down heat, and since 99.5% of bourbon comes from the Kentucky, it’s also the official Kentucky Derby cocktail. I don’t visit the track too often, but as it happens, it serves just as well as an official waiting-in-festering-subway-and-need-a-cold-drink drink.

A mint julep is pretty simple to make. You’ll need:
- crushed ice
- fresh mint
- granulated sugar (or powdered sugar) plus powdered sugar for garnish
- bourbon (Maker’s Mark is a common choice, but Booker’s, Baker’s, Blanton’s, and Woodford Reserve are all Snackish-approved)
- a silver-plated mint julep cup (for optimal frost-formation on the outside of your drink. But then if you’re already this serious about your mint julep you probably don’t need to read this)
- plastic straw

(ingredients–that’s a ziploc bag of ice, not crack, I swear)

Add 4-5 mint sprigs and sugar to a glass. I didn’t have granulated sugar on hand, so I used 3 teaspoons of powdered sugar, plus 3 teaspoons of water to help dissolve the sugar. Then, firmly press and twist the mint against the bottom of the glass with something flat. This is called muddling. The goal is to unleash the flavors of the mint without pulverizing the leaves and making the drink bitter. I ended up using an ice cream scoop, but there are specially-made instruments called muddlers for this. According to one theory, using granulated sugar in the previous step helps with muddling since the granules abrade the mint leaves.

Next add some crushed ice. This was the most difficult step for me, as my blender seemed to shave the ice to snowflake-size. The best method for making crushed ice short of buying an ice crusher seems to be wrapping ice cubes in a towel and beating them. The towel soaks up the meltiness, leaving you with dry ice. I was definitely also left with some largish chunks on my second attempt (top picture) so I think a rubber mallet would be ideal for the beating, as opposed to multitasking with your trusty ice cream scoop. Now pour in the bourbon and stir. About 4 tablespoons, or 2 oz, worked with this amount of sugar in a smallish glass, but you can always add more bourbon. Adding more sugar is difficult.

Almost done. Put a dollop of ice on top for sno-cone effect, garnish with mint, and sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Head to your nearest breezy verandah, or prop a fan in your window, put your feet up, and enjoy some smooth sipping.

Adapted from Mint Julep recipe on Drinksmixer.com