Your Mint Julep Needs Maple Syrup
I’ve only been living as a homeowner for a few months, and let me tell you this house is just full of surprises. Some of them are bad, such as the fact that previous owners did not provide insulation between the glass plate and the rack; but some are good, like the mint growing in the yard.
Now I know what you are going to say – the mint planted in the ground will take over the yard. It suits me. There’s still a cactus in there, and I’m curious to see what happens when they finally meet. Plus, a lot of mint is good, because mint tastes good, especially in cocktails.
Even though I am a “southerner” and my mom went to school in Kentucky, I’m not a bourbon drinker. There are a lot of moonshiners, teapots and Catholics in my family tree, and one of my grandmothers made her own fig wine, but bourbon is just another bottle of booze and not part of anyone’s identity.
Maybe that’s why I don’t really know what kind of sugar goes into my mint julep. I love juleps, although I have never watched or participated in any derbies, but those sweetened with simple syrup are just as effective as those made with powdered sugar for my eyes (and mouth). This may be scandalous information for some, but it was this openness that prompted me to try the maple-sweetened mint julep at the insistence of A.A. Newton , and it was a great solution.
Similar to Old Fashioned maple, maple mint julep tastes slightly more interesting than its sucrose-sweetened counterpart. It’s a little richer, a little more complex and – due to maple’s lack of real viscosity – mixes easily. To make it you will need:
- 8-10 mint leaves, depending on their size and potency, plus for decoration
- 1/2 ounce maple syrup
- 2 ounces bourbon (I used bottled bourbon as crushed or granulated ice melts pretty quickly)
Add the mint and syrup to a glass of lowball or julep (if you have one) and whisk the mint. Add the bourbon, fill the glass with crushed or pebbled ice, and stir in the glass until cool. Add more ice to form a small dome at the top of the drink, then stick in a few more mint leaves for decoration.