Derby Day is Here!

New Traditions…

Sometime around 2015, my husband and I started a new tradition of watching the 3 big horse racing events together. The Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. My husband’s brain is like a sponge when it comes to remembering not only the magnificent horses but also the owners, trainers, jockeys, races, and additional stats. 

It is a sport that we have come to enjoy as a couple and I love to watch him and listen to him tell me details about a particular horse and what the odds are for that horse to win. We may pick a horse to win, place, or show but we don’t actually bet on the horses and now that we live in North Carolina, we couldn’t if we wanted to. 

Pageantry…

There is so much pageantry when it comes to the Triple Crown, it is like the big football game in February only on steroids. 

I have been to Preakness in Baltimore, MD when I was younger. From wild parties in the in-field track at Pimlico to dresses & hats at the Gold Cup in Virginia. There was a distinct difference between these two experiences, much had to do with my age and life experience.

While the parties were fun, some got carried away, figuratively and physically. It was a party and there were beer-filled coolers everywhere you looked. At one point, Pimlico actually put a ban on alcohol in the in-field.

The Gold Cup experience was on the other end of the spectrum. This is competitive riding vs. thoroughbred horse racing. At this event I found myself rubbing elbows with the upper crust and seeing a side of people that left me shaking my head. Ladies in amazing hats, men in suits, and noses so high in the air, they could have used oxygen masks.

Times have changed!

Now we sit in our living room, wearing shorts & t-shirts, and enjoying whatever traditional foods I create for the big 3. 

Cocktails, anyone?!

Kentucky Derby has the Mint Julep and the Oak Lily cocktails. The Kentucky Oaks, held the Friday before the Derby is a sea of pink to raise awareness for breast cancer and the traditional Mint Julep https://amp.courier-journal.com/amp/7103904002  is made with the finest bourbon and fresh mint. 

For $1,000 you can purchase the classic Woodford Reserve Mint Julep. The annual charity program tradition raises money for charities, this year the proceeds benefited Project to Protect African-American Turf History. https://www.ppaath.org/  Many don’t know that black jockeys brought the sport to new levels in the late 1800s and early 1900s. 

Cherries and Cream Mint Julep

This recipe was crafted for the 2021 Kentucky Derby as part of the Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup Program. 

• 2 ounces Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• 0.5-ounce cherry juice
• Half a vanilla bean pod (cut into small segments)
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar
• Mint sprig, cherry, and vanilla bean pod for garnish
• Crushed ice

In the julep cup, add 0.5 ounces of cherry juice. Add half of a vanilla bean pod, cut into small segments. Add one teaspoon of powdered sugar. Muddle or mix together. Add crushed ice to two-thirds of the cup. Add two ounces of Woodford Reserve. Top off the cup with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig, real cherry, and vanilla bean pod. Enjoy!

Derby Food & Drinks

While I try not to go overboard with the menu, it is just the two of us, I always seem to make way more food than we need. So this year, I strategized that whatever I made would also serve as leftovers for two other meals during the week.

Kentucky Hot Browns

While a traditional Hot Brown is an open-faced turkey sandwich created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, by Fred K.Schmidt in 1926, Hot Brown History the ingredients can be made into easy sliders that make preparing and serving for a party super easy.

Layers of turkey, bacon, and Mornay sauce are the foundational ingredients. I use Kings Hawaiian rolls and added sliced Campari tomatoes, and slices of white cheddar cheese. I halved the recipe for Derby Day and then made another batch later in the week along with a caesar salad. You could very easily make a full batch and reheat them but I would omit the tomatoes on half of the sandwiches so they don’t become soggy.

I have made many versions of this traditional sandwich. I started with this one from Pampered Chef and swapped the sandwich bread for the Hawaiin rolls and then created a butter,  parmesan & poppy seed drizzle that was poured over the tops before baking. https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/kainsworth/recipe/Main+Dishes/30+Minutes+or+Less/Kentucky+Hot+Browns/1659188 

Bourbon Meatballs

It wouldn’t be the Derby without that distinct scent of bourbon whiskey in the air and while these meatballs may not be listed on the concessions menu under the Twin Spires, https://www.kentuckyderby.com/history/traditions/the-twin-spires  they make for great party food that can be made ahead of time and you don’t have to do anything on derby day except heat them up and leave them in a crockpot on warm with some toothpicks.

These had the best flavor and you could really taste the bourbon. Fear not, the alcohol cooks out of the sauce, so even the kids will enjoy it. 

I used Makers Mark Bourbon for this recipe as I was saving our Woodford Reserve for the Juleps.

I started with this recipe https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/its-five-oclock-somewhere-friday-bourbon-meatballs/ from The View From Great Island blog and then replaced the salt & pepper with ½ teaspoon of https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/kainsworth/shop/Pantry/Seasonings/Seasoning+Salt/100381 I was also out of molasses (horrors!) so I omitted that from the recipe.

This recipe makes 60+ meatballs and while I could have stuffed my face with the entire batch, they were so delicious, I restrained myself and stored ¾ of the little jewels for another dinner. I will be serving them with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, making for grins, happy bellies, and reliving details from the race a week later in anticipation of Preakness.