What To Serve at Your Kentucky Derby Party
What to serve at Your Kentucky Derby Party whether it is a small gathering at home or virtually.
The Kentucky Derby is much more than a horse race or sports event. It’s a long-standing tradition, and you can guess that it also means it’s the best reason for a party! There’s no doubt you want to throw the most festive Kentucky Derby party to celebrate the greatest two minutes in sports on Saturday, September 5, 2020.
This takes lots of prepping and naturally you would start with the invites and then worry about what to wear, décor, and so on. However, what’s really going to determine your party’s success is what you serve.
Thankfully, you don’t have to fret about this. We have put together a Derby-inspired list of foods and drinks your guests would not only love but expect come Derby season. You are welcome!
- Mint Julep
Mint Julep is the race’s signature drink. It’s almost abominable not to have this at your Derby party. It’s a classic cocktail made with a simple recipe and served in a frosty metal cup. Hold on, a recipe is brewing! You will need;
2oz of Woodford Reserve, 1oz of water, crushed ice, I tsp sugar, and 4 sprigs of fresh mint. Start by rubbing 2 pieces of fresh mint around the cup. Then add all the ingredients except crushed ice, to the cup and stir with a spoon. Now, add crushed ice to the top and garnish with sprigs of mint.
- Hot Browns
This tasty meal is the iconic sandwich of Kentucky. The recipe involves sliced roasted turkey on thick toast, with cheesy Mornay sauce. It’s baked till it bubbles and equally finished with bacon and a slice of tomato at the top.
- Kentucky Gambler Punch
Another Derby special and Kentucky favorite. Get 1 bottle of Woodford Reserve, .5 cup sugar, 15 lemons, 2 liters of fresh-brewed tea, 15 sprigs of mint, and a large punch bowl. Peel the lemons and put the peels in the punch bowl. Add the sugar, add 10 sprigs of mint, add the brewed tea, lemon juice, and mix. When the mixture is cool, add ice and Woodford Reserve. Garnish with mint.
- Kentucky bride with smokey eyes
The name does get you intrigued but so does the drink itself in all its sexy, smokey glory. The Kentucky bride with smokey eyes is easy to fix up by mixing all the ingredients at once.
- Benedictine
You will need a tasty spread and dip, and Benedictine is the perfect match. It’s made with cream cheese, cucumbers, dill, and onion.
- Bourbon balls
Ground cookies, nuts, and bourbon mixture coated in chocolate or cocoa comprise yummy bourbon balls. There’s no reason not to serve this.
- Derby Italiano
This drink has a little of everything and is sure to thrill guests. Be sure to strain into a Collins glass when serving and keep a complete mint sprig to top off.
- Cruzan Hats Off Julep
It’s funny how the name completely says what you think about this drink. The recipe is a bit complicated than others, but it’s all worth it.
- Derby pie
Now, the original recipe for an authentic Derby pie is tough to get. But you can forget about that and just purchase the confections online from the family that invented them.
Read more from I On The Scene: HERE.
