Each year on the first Saturday of May, you will find me at Churchill Downs, drink in hand, cheering the horses to victory at the Kentucky Derby. The derby is the first jewel in the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred horseracing and is a magical event steeped in tradition. One of those traditions and the drink in my hand mentioned above is the Mint Julep—bourbon, mint, and sugar served in an ice-frosted silver julep cup. My version of this drink may not be traditional, but it is definitely a winner.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　1 1/4 cups fresh blackberries, plus more for garnish

　　1/4 cup superfine sugar

　　1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　1 cup plus 4 tablespoons bourbon

　　1 big bunch of fresh mint leaves, plus whole sprigs for garnish

　　Shaved or crushed ice

　　Club soda, chilled

　　

Step 1

Mash together the blackberries, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl and let macerate at room temperature until juicy, about 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a bowl, pressing against the solids with a rubber spatula to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the seeds.

　　

Step 2

Put about 2 tablespoons of the blackberry liquid and 1 tablespoon of the bourbon into a silver mint julep cup, add 8 mint leaves, and muddle together.

　　

Step 3

Add shaved ice until the cup is half full. Insert a sprig of mint and then pack in more ice to about 1 inch over the top of the cup. Pour 1/4 cup of the bourbon over the ice, add a splash of club soda, and garnish with several big sprigs of mint. Garnish with whole blackberries, if desired.

　　

Step 4

Repeat steps 2 and 3 three times to make 4 drinks. Serve immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson, (C) 2011 Clarkson PotterBOBBY FLAY, a New York Times bestselling author, is the chef-owner of six fine dining restaurants, including Mesa Grill, Bar Americain, and Bobby Flay Steak, and an expanding roster of Bobby's Burger Palaces. He is the host of numerous popular cooking shows on Food Network, from the Emmy-winning Boy Meets Grill and Grill It! with Bobby Flay, to the Iron Chef America series, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, and Food Network Star. Brunch @ Bobby's debuted on the Cooking Channel in fall 2010 and America's Next Great Restaurant debuted in March 2011 on NBC. This is his eleventh book. His website is BobbyFlay.com.