Sports Illustrated - USA (2022-05)

HATS AND A PROPERLY MIXED COCKTAIL

MINT CONDITION

MAY 2022 21

EATS: FOOD. DRINK. CULTURE. SPORTS

BLUEGRASS STATE

native Damaris Phillips

has been going to the

Kentucky Derby for her

entire adult life, but the

chef and Food Network

personality hasn’t always

watched the Derby. In fact,

until Churchill Downs

put up more fencing

around the track, Phillips

and her friends would pay more attention to the

people than the ponies. “Right across the street from

the track are these beautiful green patches,” says

Phillips. “And we would sit up there and have picnics.

A friend invented the Compliment Society. We would

give compliments to people as they were going into

Derby. You look amazing! We’d cheer for anybody

who had put in a lot of effort into their outfit.”

For Phillips and many other locals, that’s what

the Derby is about: atmosphere. And food. And a

good mint julep. If you can’t be at Churchill Downs,

Phillips has a few pointers for hosting your own

party. First: Make everyone bet. “Either get an app

or do old-school at-home betting, where everybody

picks a horse and throws in 20 bucks,” she says.

“There’s gotta be a prize, so you’re cheering for a

horse and you’re invested.”

For the food, try pimiento cheese or a beer cheese

MINT JULEP PARTY PITCHER

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sugar

4 bunches mint, ends trimmed

2 ½ cups bourbon

Crushed ice

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine sugar and two cups
   of water in a saucepan and bring
   to a simmer over medium heat.
   Remove from heat and submerge
   three bunches of mint. Let stand
   at least one hour or, preferably,
   overnight. Strain.


2. Stir together the mint simple
   syrup (you should have 2½ cups)

in a pitcher.

for garnish.

up to eight hours.

3. Pack eight mint julep cups
   with crushed ice. Pour four
   ounces of the mint julep mixture
   into each; garnish with a mint
   sprig and serve with a straw.
   When the outside of the cup has
   frosted over, you are ready
   to enjoy.

spread. Or both. There’s also Derby Pie, basically a

pecan pie with chocolate chips and bourbon. And

nothing is more classic than a mint julep (though not

necessarily as potent as the ones at the track, which

taste of mouthwash and lawn clippings). They can be

labor intensive, so Phillips makes them by the pitcher.

it looks so cool.” —M.B.

ER
ICK

W.

RA

SC
O^ (
DE

RB
Y);

PA

UL

AR

CH

UL

ET

A/G

ET

TY^

IM

AG

ES

(P

HIL

LIP

S)