Ingredients

Mujadara

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 1 cup jasmine rice, cooked
• 1 cup French (small brown) lentils, cooked
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• A couple fresh sprigs of cilantro or parsley, chopped

Preparation

1. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, cumin, cayenne, and cinnamon. Continue cooking until the onions caramelize and are slightly crisp, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove about half the onions and set aside for garnish. Add cooked rice and lentils to the remaining onions.  Saute, stirring frequently, until all the ingredients are incorporated and warm, about three minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Garnish with remaining caramelized onions, lemon juice, and chopped cilantro or parsley.

The Keeneland Breeze was developed by Makers Mark and is a staple at the track in Lexington.

Ingredients

There is some controversy in the mint julep community about whether the mint should be muddled or served as a garnish.  To maximize the potency of the mint (and make sure no one is happy) this recipe does both and uses mint simple syrup.

Mint Julep

Ingredients

• 3, 2-3 inch fresh sprigs of mint
• 1 ounce mint simple syrup
• crushed ice
• 2.5 ounces of straight bourbon whiskey

Preparation

1. In the bottom of a julep cup or collins glass, muddle two sprigs of mint and simple syrup. 
2. Fill the glass with crushed ice and add the bourbon.
3. Garnish with remaining sprigs of mint and serve with a straw.

Crushed ice is necessary for preparing and serving many cocktails and there are a number of different ways to get the job done. The texture of the ice and its melt rate will vary, so we encourage you to experiment with some of these methods to find the one that matches your tastes:

• Lewis Ice Bag – Once upon a time making ice required breaking down large blocks that were delivered to your establishment in a horse drawn cart. Getting these large blocks down to a size and shape that would fit into a glass required an ice pick, a sturdy mallet, and sometimes a simple linen bag. Today you can recreate the sweat drenched flavor of this ice, at several times the price, with a Lewis bag. If you are considering this option you may first want to try a substantially cheaper linen dish towel and any variety of household hammer. Don’t do this at home while someone is trying to sleep.
• Food Processor- Any good food processor can crush the hell out of some ice. The downside: all that slicing friction will also create a lot of water. Try straining before use.
• Ice Crushing Appliance – It may seem like a lavish investment but it is less expensive than a half dozen Lewis bags.
• Your Freezer- If you have a freezer with an automatic ice maker and a “crush” setting this is pretty obvious. If you do not have these things, then it may seem like a hefty investment for typically not-so-great crushed ice. This ice is good for quickly chilling a drink, but for serving the pieces are typically pretty inconsistent and will water down a drink more quickly than most people enjoy.
• Sonic

Flavored simple syrup require some foresight to prepare ahead of time. While it is tempting to make and store large quantities, it is best to make it in small batches since the flavors

Mint simple syrup pre-boil.

will degrade quickly.