The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby will take place on May 7, 2022—always the first Saturday in May, always at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is open to 20 horses, who qualified for the race by earning points on the 2022 Road to the Kentucky Derby.

The official drink of the Kentucky Derby is the Mint Julep. The clubhouse at Churchill Downs began mixing bourbon-based mint juleps around 1875. The Mint Julep became the racetrack’s signature drink in 1938, when the venue started to serve the drink in Kentucky Derby souvenir glasses.

In 1999, Woodford Reserve became the “official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby”—although we do have a Maker’s Mark recipe below, which makes enough for a crowd.

Today, the Kentucky Derby serves more than 80,000 juleps over the two-day event. (The capacity of the track is 50,000 (x 2 days = 100,000 people to drink, so some revelers are not drinking their fair share!).

Mint Julep recipes are not just for the Kentucky Derby, but anytime you want a minty Bourbon cocktail with lots of shaved ice.

> Check out the recipes below.

> The history of the Mint Julep and what’s a julep?

> Grow your own mint.

> Have a retro cocktail party.

> Food Fun: Use your julep cups for food.
 
 
RECIPE: MAKER’S MARK MINT JULEP

 
Ingredients For 14-16 Juleps

 
Preparation

1. PREPARE the mint extract. Remove about 40 small mint leaves, wash, and place them in a small mixing bowl. Cover with 3 ounces of Maker’s Mark and allow the leaves to soak for 15 minutes.

Then, gather the leaves in a clean, soap-free piece of cotton cloth and vigorously wring the mint bundle over the bowl of whisky. Dip the bundle again and repeat the process several times. Then set aside.

2. PREPARE the simple syrup. Mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and one cup of water in a pot. Heat to dissolve the sugar, stirring constantly so the sugar does not burn. Set aside to cool.

3. PREPARE the mint julep mixture. Pour 3½ cups of Maker’s Mark into a large glass pitcher. Pour the remaining whisky from the liter bottle into another container and save it for another purpose. Add 1 cup of the simple syrup to the Maker’s Mark.

4. BEGIN to add the mint extract to the julep mixture a tablespoon at a time. Each batch of mint extract is different, so you must taste and smell it after each tablespoon is added.

You may have to leave the room a time or two to clear your nose (a food taster’s trick is to inhale coffee beans or fresh-ground coffee to clear the nose).

The tendency is to use too much mint. You are looking for a soft mint aroma and taste, generally about 3 tablespoons. When you think the balance is right…

5. POUR the whole mixture back into the empty liter bottle and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours to marry the flavors.

6. TO SERVE: Fill each glass (ideally a silver Mint Julep cup) half full with shaved ice. Insert a sprig of mint and then pack in more ice to about an inch over the top of the cup.

Then insert a straw that has been cut to one inch above the top of the cup, so that the nose is forced close to the mint when sipping the Mint Julep. When frost forms on the cup…

7. POUR the refrigerated Julep mixture over the ice, add a sprinkle of powdered sugar to the top of the ice, and serve.
 
 
MORE MINT JULEP RECIPES

[1] A classic Mint Julep recipe is served in a silver, copper, or pewter julep cup (photos #1 and #3 © Woodford Reserve).

[2] No julep cups? No worry: Use any highball/Collins/tall glass (photo © Sid Wainer | Facebook).

[3] Add your own touch, with edible flowers.

[4] Or add an edible fruit garnish for munching, like these pear slices. Blackberries or cucumber slices are nice options (photo © Ruth’s Chris Steak House).

[5] Mound the shaved ice high before pouring in the julep mixture (photo © Arch Rock Fish | San Diego [permanently closed]).

[1] Two of King Oscar’s four varieties of ultra-premium tuna fillets (photos #1 through #5 © King Oscar).

[2] A “tuna board” for lunch or snacking.

[3] The flavorful fillets can be served as tapas.

[4] Make more flavorful tuna sandwiches. See creative recipes below.

[5] .

[6] Julia Child’s tuna salad recipe. The recipe is below (photo © Heami Lee | Stylist Maggie Ruggiero | New York Times).

[7] The popular tuna melt: grilled cheese with tuna (photo © Good Catch | Facebook).

[9] A Greek-inspired tuna salad recipe. The recipe is below (photo © Put On Your Cake Pants).

Each year on May 2nd, World Tuna Day is celebrated to spread awareness about the imperiled tuna stock, and the need to adopt sustainable fishing practices to save this endangered species. The high demand for tuna, canned and fresh, has created a worldwide shortage, with fewer tuna pulled from the ocean each year.

The World Tuna Day was officially proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2016. Its aim was to spotlight the importance of conservation management and make sure that a system is required in place to prevent tuna stocks from crashing.

Efforts are underway, but the challenge remains: How to fill enough cans of tuna to meet consumer demand while ensuring there are enough fish left in the ocean to replace those that are caught.

Today’s product focus is King Arthur, a sustainable brand of yellowfin tuna. Check out sustainability terms, below.

Check out the creative tuna salad recipes below.

> A glossary Of tuna types.

> Albacore vs. yellowfin tuna: the difference.
 
 
KING OSCAR TUNA

King Oscar is a producer of “ultra-premium” jarred and tinned seafood: anchovies, kippers, mackerel, sardines, and yellowfin tuna.

The King Oscar brand was established in 1902, when King Oscar II, monarch of Norway and Sweden, gave a small Norwegian canning company special royal permission to use his name and image on a line of superior sardines.

The brand champions sustainable seafood: wild-caught and dolphin-safe. It is backed by SeaChange, an integrated plan of initiatives to drive meaningful improvements across the entire global seafood industry. Here’s more about the brand’s sustainability efforts.

The yellowfin tuna (photo #1) is far removed from a can of Bumble Bee. Tender fillets of select yellowfin tuna are marinated in 100% top-quality extra virgin olive oil, with herbs and spices. There are four varieties:

 
Here’s more about them.

The firm fillets encourage inclusion on antipasto plates, tapas, and other recipes where the flaked tuna in cans won’t do.

Give your taste buds the royal treatment with King Oscar!
 
 
TUNA SALAD RECIPES

 
Plus:

 
 
AN EXPLANATION OF SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD

The world tuna population is endangered: Due to the popularity of tuna, several of the major species are on the endangered species list. Learn more about it here.

U.S. fisheries are taking the lead in sustainable tuna fishing. These terms will explain both the situation and the solution:

Fewer Food Miles: Caught in the Pacific Northwest and canned at local canneries in Oregon, Washington, and California, the distance U.S. albacore travels from ocean to plate is significantly lower.

Fewer Trace Metals: With tuna, the larger the fish, the higher the amounts of accumulated metals, including mercury. Trolling catches younger and smaller albacore weighing between 5 and 15 pounds. These juvenile albacores have significantly lower levels of mercury.

The Oregon State University conducted a study in 2004 to determine mercury levels of North Pacific troll-caught albacore.

These tuna were found to have low total mercury concentrations (average 0.14 ppm), very low compared to the 1.0 ppm methylmercury action level set by the FDA and comparable to “light tuna” or Skipjack.

Read the full report.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Get up to six times the heart-healthy omega-3s from your tuna sandwich. Cooked just once in the can, custom-canned U.S. albacore retains all its good fats (omega-3s). Health experts recommend eating omega-3-rich fish, including albacore, at least twice a week.

According to the American Heart Association, research on omega-3s suggests they may reduce the risk of diabetes, reduce insulin resistance in people with diabetes, enhance bone density, inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells in the breast, prostate, and colon, and aid in curbing psoriasis.

Inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease seem to improve with more omega-3s. In infants, they improve cognition and visual acuity.

Sustainably And Ethically Caught: Trolling is a low-impact method where small, barbless hooks are used to catch albacore one at a time. The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program gives U.S. troll-caught albacore a “green” rating, the highest obtainable. Trolling is one of the most environmentally-sound fishing methods. For a full explanation, visit Monterey Bay Aquarium’s website.
 
U.S. Troll-Caught: Using U.S.-caught tuna supports fishing communities in California, Oregon and Washington. Eighty percent of seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported, some from countries that have lower environmental and sustainability standards.

U.S. fisheries are some of the most regulated in the world; fishers must adhere to strict environmental regulations and quotas which ensure the ongoing health of the marine environment.

First up is Lemonade Day, May 1st this year (it’s the first Sunday in May), which began as a promotion for a not-for-profit youth program. Lemonade Day helps communities of need, by introducing children to entrepreneurship through starting their own lemonade stands.

Then there’s National Lemonade Day on August 20th, which can also encourage entrepreneurship among young folk but is an opportunity for those of us without young’uns to enjoy a cold, refreshing, sweet-and-tangy glass of lemonade.

For either occasion, check out the lemonade recipes below, which include both enhancements to classic lemonade, and lemonade-based cocktails.

> The history of lemons.

> The different types of lemons.

> The history of lemonade.
 
 
LEMONADE RECIPES

 
 
LEMONADE COCKTAIL RECIPES

[1] Strawberry lemonade: Stir in sliced strawberries (photo © Cocina De Color Lila | Blogspot).

[2] Bubbly meats lemonade in this cocktail. Add raspberries to lemonade and top off with Prosecco or other bubbly (photo © Cavit Prosecco).

[3] Add watermelon juice to lemonade, with optional gin, tequila or vodka (photo © Haru Sushi).

[1] Truffle grits (photo © Southern Culture Kitchen).

[2] Grits in colorful envelopes are available in Original, Garlic & Herb, and Jalapeño & Cheddar (photo © Shopify).

[3] Steak and eggs with grits. Here’s the recipe (photo © Framed Cooks).

[4] A classic dish of shrimp and grits (photo © Mackenzie Ltd.)

[5] Beyond just Shrimp & Grits, here’s a recipe for Seafood & Grits (photo © Nouveau Bar & Grill | Atlanta).

[6] White corn grits (photos #5 and #6 © Anson Mills).

[7] Yellow corn grits.

These stone-ground truffle grits (photo #1) are a tasty gift packaged in a reusable canister. Created by Chef Ebony Austin, owner of Atlanta’s Nouveau Bar & Grill, the premium white corn grits, from corn grown in the Georgia mountains, are blended in small batches with truffle powder and sea salt.

They’re ready to make a delicious side for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Bonus: Grits are gluten-free.

Chef Austin has also packaged gifts in dramatic envelopes (photo # 2): in Original, Garlic & Herb, and Jalapeño & Cheddar, via Shopify.

Whether canister or envelope, the grits are packaged beautifully for gifting or home use.

> For the canister-packaged truffle grits, head to SocuKitchen.com.

> For the three flavors in envelope packaging, head to Shopify.

> Check out the grits recipes below.
 
 
HOW TO SERVE GRITS

 
 
A GRITS VOCABULARY

Grits can be ground into fine, medium, or coarse textures, which impact the cooking time.

 
GRIST: Everything that comes out of a stone mill when milling grain. The particular mill where grains are ground is called a grist mill. The word grist comes from Old English, meaning “grinding,” which itself derives from Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European words for to rub or to grind [source].

GRITS: A porridge made from cornmeal boiled with milk or water. Grits are traditionally served as a breakfast dish, as part of a dinner entrée (shrimp and grits is a popular pairing), as pudding, and as a side dish, where it also can be shaped into squares and fried.

Grits can be prepared either savory or sweet, with savory seasonings being more common. Corn is a New World grain, and the dish originated in the Southern U.S.*; it is now found nationwide. Grits are similar to other thick, maize-based porridges from around the world, such as polenta (Italy) and mieliepap (South Africa).

Traditionally, grits were made with dried hominy (see next definition), which is corn that has been treated with an alkali solution. However, you can also find grits that are simply coarsely ground or stone-ground cornmeal.

Grits are made from both yellow and white corn. Historically, white corn was popular in the port cultures of the South (Charleston, New Orleans, Savannah, Wilmington) that were settled by Europeans who had a preference for white milled flour. Moving inland through the rural American South, yellow corn and grits predominated.

White corn has more pronounced mineral and floral nuances; yellow corn is more robust with citrus flavor at the back of the palate.

> The difference between grits and polenta.

HOMINY GRITS: Hominy grits are a type of coarsely-ground grits made from hominy, which is corn that has been treated with an alkali in a process called nixtamalization.

Hominy grits are made by soaking dried corn kernels in the alkali solution to remove the outer hulls. The soaked corn kernels are then dried and ground into grits. They are typically ground several times into uniform small pieces, about 1/16th to 1/20th of an inch across.

Hominy grits generally have a finer texture than stone-ground grits. The preferred texture is a matter of individual choice.

In the Charleston, South Carolina, area, cooked hominy grits are called “hominy” and uncooked grits are called “grist.”

The word “grits” is derived from the Old English word grytt, meaning coarse meal [source].

HOMINY Hominy is nixtamalized corn, a food made by soaking dried whole corn in an alkali solution to remove the germ and hull. White or yellow corn kernels are added to scalding water mixed with the chemical (alkali) solution, such as mild lye or slaked lime. The soaking forces the kernel to expand so the hull and germ split, and the kernels can be easily removed.

The kernels can then be boiled whole, creating a soft puffy food, or ground into grits.

Hominy has other uses, too. For example, in Mexican cuisine, it is finely ground to make masa harina (corn flour), which is then turned into tacos, tamales, tostadas, etc.

Hominy is the Colonial English spelling of the sound of the oral Native American word for corn. “Hominy” is a shortened version of the old Carolina term for whole corn, “hominy grist.”
 
 
GRITS RECIPES

 
 
________________

*Native Americans and Mesoamericans made the first porridges from cornmeal.

[1] A twist on the traditional oatmeal cookie: oatmeal shortbread cookies with chocolate chips and toffee pieces (photo © Greg McBoat | 50 Things to Bake Before You Die).

[2] 50 Things to Bake Before You Die: The World’s Best Cakes, Pies, Brownies, Cookies, and More from Your Favorite Bakers, Including Christina Tosi, Joanne Chang, and Dominique Ansel (photo © Ulysses Press).

[3] Toffee pieces for baking, ice cream, and dessert toppings. We got them on Amazon.

[4] Semisweet chocolate chips are the norm, but you can use white chips, chunks, etc. (photo © Bella Baker).

For National Oatmeal Cookie Day, April 30th, it’s easy to whip up the classic Quaker oatmeal cookie recipe, and put a spin on it with:

 
But in the cookbook 50 Things to Bake Before You Die, Allyson Reedy put an even bigger spin on it, by sourcing an oatmeal toffee shortbread cookie—and it has chocolate chips, too. The recipe follows.

The cookbook, just published, can be a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift for your favorite baker…assuming they’ll take the “before you die” part in good humor.

The collection of dessert recipes to us from the greatest bakers and chefs from small-town café owners to fancy restaurateurs to TV show hosts

> The history of oats and oatmeal.

> The history of shortbread cookies.

> Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe and history.

> All the food holidays.
 
 
RECIPE: OATMEAL CHOCOLATE TOFFEE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

This recipe was created by Clyde Greenhouse, owner of Kessler Baking Studio in Dallas, Texas. He ships his cookies, bars, and weekend breakfast pastries nationwide.

He originally created these shortbread cookies as favors for his niece’s wedding. Studded with chocolate chips and toffee, they have layers of flavor plus crunch.

If you’re having trouble finding toffee, simply cut up a Heath bar.
 
Ingredients For 36 4-Inch Cookies
Or 72 2-Inch Cookies

 
Preparation

1. GRIND the rolled oats in a food processor to a mealy consistency.

2. CREAM the sugar and butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Use a spatula to scrape down the bowl as needed and continue mixing until there are no visible butter pieces. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until completely incorporated. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

3. WHISK together the flour, ground oats, and salt in a large bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add these ingredients to the butter mixture in thirds and mix until crumbly in texture.

Add the semisweet chocolate chips and toffee bits and mix until the dough comes away from the bowl and begins to cling to the paddle.

4. TURN the dough out onto plastic wrap and form into a disk. Chill the wrapped dough for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results. The next day…

5. CUT disk into wedges. Using a rolling pin and on a smooth, lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness and cut it into the desired shape.

Place cut the cut-outs onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F.

6. BAKE the 4-inch cookies for 16 to 18 minutes, or the 2-inch cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.
 
 
Excerpted from 50 Things to Bake Before You Die by Allyson Reedy. Copyright © 2022 Ulysses Press. Reprinted with permission from Ulysses Press. New York, NY. All rights reserved.