Jumping in Barton Springs, escaping inside to the air conditioning, sitting directly in front of the fan misters at your favorite patio bar - there are a few ways to beat the heat here in Austin. One great way to stay cool during those summer cookouts and backyard parties is the right cocktail, and you don't need to be in the Texas heat to enjoy this one.
When we think of a summer cocktail, we think of light, refreshing flavors, frosty cold glasses and something that's easy to throw together when you have a few people over for that BBQ or poolside party. A favorite recipe of ours can be found in the Death & Co. book, an amazing collection of recipes, step-by-step instruction, essays and beautiful photos from the Death & Company bar in Manhattan's East Village. We could have picked about 20 "favorite" cocktails, but we figured we should start with just one, so we finally narrowed it down to the Maple Julep (page 243).
If you need an easy recipe for your next get-together or just a refreshing drink to cool yourself off at home, we definitely suggest trying this one. You can also flip through the Death & Co. book over at the HELM store on East 11th, and we highly suggest grabbing a copy to find your perfect cocktail for the summer season.
Alex Day, co-owner of Death & Company and one of the authors of the book, told us why he thinks this new take on a mint julep is the perfect drink for the summer
"Where the Japanese have tea ceremony, we Americans have the Mint Julep. Any julep is more ritual than it is a recipe. It must be built with care; start with great whiskey, rounded out modestly with just a few drops of something sweet, and carefully cooled down to a chilling freeze with finely shaved ice. Stir slowly, there’s no rush, until the outside of the cup has a fine layer of frost. Mint sprigs are sunk deep into the liquid, perfuming the nose with each sip and infusing the liquid with a little touch of summer. Cheers!"
Maple Julep Recipe
2 OUNCES OLD OVERHOLT RYE
1/4 OUNCE MAPLE SYRUP
GARNISH: 1 MINT BOUQUET
Put the rye and maple syrup in a julep tin. Fill the tin halfway with crushed ice. Stir with a teaspoon, churning the ice as you go for about 10 seconds, holding the tin by the rim so the entire tin can eventually frost up. Add more crushed ice to fill the tin two-thirds full and stir until the tin is completely frosted. Add more ice to form a cone above the rim. Garnish with the mint bouquet in the center of the ice and serve with a straw. Enjoy.