Benedictine Dip, Mint Julep, and Bourbon Sour
Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Henry Bain Sauce and Cheesy Baked Rice
recipes:
Entertaining
Ponies Race, You Eat
Thoroughbred dishes and cocktails for Kentucky Derby Day
Two minutes—the Kentucky Derby, on May 2, might be over before you even finish making your first
Mint Julep. Avoid such disasters and prep the drinks early. Invite your friends over and throw a party with these recipes, from dainty cucumber dip to irresistible chocolate-pecan pie. (Most people wouldn’t eat all of these things together. But we don’t judge.) Don’t get mired in the fusty hats, the prickly roses, the cheesy song. Focus on the food and the horses, and then again on the food.
All of this looks tasty, BUT: except for the julep, there is NOTHING here that would be included in a typical Derby Day brunch!!! Much more likely would be bourbon-glazed ham, cream biscuits, red-eye gravy, and grits puff (which is like a cheesy grits souffle). Surely you could find something that speaks more of Old Kentucky than the menu *you* came up with??
Easy there Lindygal....there are a few KY Race Day standards in the mix here. As a Louisville native I give street cred to the Benedictine Dip (I like the updated twist of the dip served with Rye...much improved over the trad'l finger sandwiches), Henry Bain sauce as well as The Derby Pie. I've never been to a Derby party without the trad'l chocolate and pecan pie. But I would definitely replace the cheesy rice casserloe with something more inspired and true...Corn Pudding or Grits Souffle. But my best advice though to anyone considering hosting a Derby get together....skip the Mint Juleps altogether, just a waste of good bourbon...pour over ice or mix with a soda (Ale-8 if you want to really honor the Bluegrass state) if you must. Most importantly just have fun with the day....i'm hosting a party in L.A. where the primary theme will be Bourbon infused foods.
The grits are hit and miss in Kentucky - I'm a native, lived there 40+ years and never had them. They just weren't on the menu. I'd go with the Mint Julip (yes, they tend to be nasty but tradition is tradition), keep the ham & biscuits, and add a Hot Brown.
Where can you get an decent Hot Brown in Philly or NYC?
I'd vote for the Hot Brown any day of the week. Awesome stuff. And the chocolate pecan pie. I like the idea of the benedictine served as a dip instead of a fussy sandwich. I actually made my own juleps this year and we liked them a lot. No nasty mix.
We made our own Mint Juleps this year but will try the food recipes next year. You can about our Juleps at http://petersfoodadventure.wordpress....