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April 11, 2006

Barkeep, Bring Me Another

And, yes, put it on Mr. McCabe's tab; he said it was fine:

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- As if custom-made hats, premium box seats and limo rides weren't enough, the Kentucky Derby will now feature the $1,000 mint julep.

Sip this drink slowly.

The sweet cocktail will be made with one of the state's finest bourbons and served in a gold-plated cup with a silver straw to the first 50 people willing to put down the cash at the May 6 race.

Mint from Morocco, ice from the Arctic Circle and sugar from the South Pacific will put this mint julep in a class of its own, the distillery selling the drink said.

Now if only the stirrers had been used to club seals it would be perfect.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at April 11, 2006 11:26 AM

Comments

For the life of me, I don't understand why anyone would want to ruin perfectly good bourbon with sugar and mint.

Posted by: Ken Summers at April 11, 2006 11:33 AM

Heck, if Bill's buying...

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 11, 2006 11:35 AM

I love me some bourbon as much as the next gal (maybe a little TOO much), but mint juleps are of the devil. It is the only drink that made me vomit, and I've ate the worm, people.

Posted by: Lisa at April 11, 2006 11:37 AM

Uh, Lisa, I think the worm is supposed to be ornamental...

Posted by: Ken Summers at April 11, 2006 11:40 AM

Since I'm still red-faced and angry with myself for missing Tartan Day, and since Lisa brought up the subject, I'll just throw this little story out there...

A Scotsman once attended a Temperance lecture given by Scotland's top medical man, a noted anti-drink campaigner. The speaker began by placing a live, wriggling worm in a glass of whisky. After a moment or two it died and sank to the bottom.

The speaker said quietly to the audience, "Now my friends, what does this tell us?"

Jock piped up, "If you drink whisky you'll not be bothered by worms!"

Posted by: Ken Summers at April 11, 2006 11:47 AM

Actually, what he really said was probably something like "If ye bevvy watter o' life yoo'll nae be bothered by worms, laddie."

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 11, 2006 11:55 AM

The reason you don't understand, Ken, is because mint juleps are the product of fine, southern tradition.

Posted by: Cullen at April 11, 2006 12:31 PM

I like 'em, actually. We used to drink lots of the on the Lawn in at Virginia while playing croquet.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 11, 2006 12:48 PM

Uh, no. Bourbon is the product of fine, southern tradition. Julep is a horrible bastardization, apparently produced as penance for the Civil War. The Buckner family's tragic association with it may only be forgiven because of the heroism of Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr., at Okinawa.

And somehow, I get the feeling that the guy that invented this rot is distantly related.

Posted by: Ken Summers at April 11, 2006 12:52 PM

"while playing croquet"

Well there you go.

P-word.

Posted by: Ken Summers at April 11, 2006 12:53 PM

(Very good, Mr. Summers!)

Posted by: tree hugging sister at April 11, 2006 12:57 PM

"Proper"?

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 11, 2006 01:02 PM

"protocol"

I mean, "pr*****l"

Posted by: Ken Summers at April 11, 2006 01:04 PM

What was that bit from the Onion about fine Southern traditions? Oh, yeah...

"For 137th year, South Postpones Rising Again"

Posted by: Nightfly at April 11, 2006 01:34 PM

Heheheh... I was just going to post on this, and realizing it late in the day, I figured I better check in here first...

You guys did not disappoint!

Posted by: That 1 Guy at April 11, 2006 05:23 PM

Sure, I'll buy. Do they take a check?

Posted by: Tainted Bill at April 11, 2006 07:51 PM

Oh, well if they'll take a check. I figured they'd want money.

Posted by: Ken Summers at April 11, 2006 08:51 PM

I'd get it just for the cup, you do get to keep it, right? I have ordered many a nasty cocktail just for the glass it comes in.

Posted by: Kcruella at April 11, 2006 09:49 PM

Done that a bunch, Cruella.

Tended to drop a few of 'em on the stumble home, too.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 12, 2006 11:26 AM