HOUSTON — Julep's Reopening and Derby Day Party
May 1st at 12pm
Purchase tickets to the Derby Day party at julephouston.com.
Alba's book, Julep: Southern Cocktails Refashioned, is available for purchase at the bar or anywhere books are sold.
Julep
Sparkling Julep
Photo: dropbox.com/Julep_SparklingJulep.jpg (credit Julie Soefer)
10 mint leaves
1/2 oz turbinado syrup
3/4 oz cognac
2oz sparkling FRV100 Şamay, plus 1/2oz for topping off
For the Turbinado Syrup
2 cups sugar in the raw turbinado
1 cup water
Combine the turbinado sugar and water in a saucepan and stir to combine. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool. Transfer to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
For the Garnish
2 or 3 mint sprigs
1 small bunch champagne or other tiny grapes
Powdered sugar
Place the mint leaves and syrup in the glass and lightly press with a muddler. Leave the muddler in the glass and add the cognac and 2 ounces of sparkling Gamay, pouring them over the muddler to rinse it off. Fill the glass a little more than halfway with crushed ice and stir with a bar spoon 15 to 20 times. Add more ice to completely fill the glass. Top off with the remaining 1/2oz of sparkling Gamay. Place the straw in the glass.
To garnish, press the mint sprigs between your fingers to release their aroma and tuck them into the ice next to the straw. Place the champagne grapes alongside the mint and dust them with powdered sugar.