Did you know that today was Drinking Straw Day? Now I have gone throughout this entire day without this knowledge, when I could’ve sent someone a Drinking Straw Day greeting card. That sucks!
Apparently, on this day in 1888, Marvin C. Stone received his patent for the drinking straw, which this site says he developed out of his fondness for mint juleps.
I don’t know about the accuracy of that information, but I can pass along my recipe for mint juleps, which I guarantee you is a darn site better than what they serve in bars around here ? whiskey, water, a bit of sugar, and a mint sprig. Not exactly the kind of refreshing drink on a hot, Southern summer day a mint julep’s supposed to be.
How to Make a Mint Julep
The key is to make julep syrup, which I accomplish by grabbing a big handful of mint, putting it in a pot of water, bring the water to boil, supersaturate it with sugar until it’s extraordinarily sweet, then add a few tablespoons of sugar more. The key is excess ? a lot of mint, a lot of sugar (although the last batch I made was with Splenda?, and it was good, too). What you end up with resembles green tea. Refrigerate it for a day, then mix it with bourbon or whiskey. About half and half, but adjust to your taste. Then keep adjusting to your taste. Taste the whole glass. Then glass yourself another pour.
