Churchill Downs has announced one of the largest concerts Louisville has ever seen. The concert is to take place July 23-25 2010. Louisville will play host to:

• Bon Jovi
• Doobie Brothers
• Gladys Knight
• B 52s
• The O’Jays
• Colbie Caillat
• Richard Marx
• Gloriana
• Sam Bush
• Chrisette Michele
• Kenny Chesney
• Jason Aldean
• Al Green
• Michael McDonald
• John Kay & Steppenwolf
• Gov’t Mule
• Joan Osborne
• Musiq Soulchild
• War
• Dave Matthews Band
• Zac Brown Band
• Steve Miller Band
• Dwight Yoakam
• Loretta Lynn
• The Black Crowes
• Kansas
• 38 Special
• Taj Mahal

I love down home Southern cooking.  It makes you feel good inside, it’s comfort food.  Now you can have that Southern style at your own Kentucky Derby party with these traditional Kentucky recipes. The new edition of Derby Entertaining gives recipes for breakfast, brunch, afternoon cocktails, buffets, and sit-down dinners.  You will find recipes for everything from Benedictine to Bourbon pork Chops to Mint Julep Punch.  Check this book out as well as other Kentucky cookbooks right here!

Try these great Kentucky recipes for your next Kentucky Derby Party.

Hot Brown
Mint Julep
Kentucky Burgoo
Bourbon Balls
Benedictine

And many more Famous Kentucky Recipes.

2 ounces dark rum
1 ounce lime juice
1 teaspoon maple sugar

Shake the rum,* fresh-squeezed lime juice, and maple sugar* well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Brown Derby 2

2 ounces bourbon
1 ounce grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce of honey syrup

Add Bourbon, grapefruit juice, honey syrup, with crushed ice, mix and serve

Blackberry Julep

6 ounces frozen blackberries
10 ounces ice
4 ounces bourbon
4 ounces simple syrup
Fresh mint sprigs

Place ice and berries in food processor and pulse until coarsely crushed. Pack ice and berries into traditional 10-ounce silver cups.
Add simple syrup and bourbon. Garnish with mint.

Belmont over ice

4 tablespoons vodka
3 tablespoons club soda
1 tablespoon peach schnapps
1 tablespoon orange juice

Serve on the rocks. Garnish with an orange slice.

Thoroughbred Punch

Serves 15-18

1/2 Cup Sugar
4 ounces Lemon Juice
6oz Orange Juice
4 Ounces Grenadine
1 Liter Woodford Reserve Bourbon
1 Liter Club Soda

Combine Sugar with the lemon and orange juice and stir well
Add grenadine and Woodford Reserve and stir again
Add the club soda, garnish with mint sprig and Ice mold and serve.

2 oz. PAMA pomegranate liqueur
2 oz. Bourbon
2 Sprigs of fresh mint
2 sugar cubes

In a mixing glass, muddle mint and sugar with bourbon and PAMA. Shake ingredients vigorously over ice and strain into a cup over crushed ice. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and a sprig of fresh mint, then serve.

If you need Mint Julep cups or Mint Julep glasses here are some great links.

Mint Julep Cups
Mint Julep Glasses

Sunday’s Courier-Journal released the annual Official Derby Event List. It is jam-packed full of any Derby Event information. This listing includes anything you would ever need to know, pricing, tickets, times, locations, etc. Of course there are the highlighted events; The Balloon Glow, Thunder Over Louisville, The Mini-Marathon, The Derby Festival Parade, Oaks, and Derby, but there are several events that do not catch much publicity but are really interesting events. With the exceptions of the Derby Gala’s and select other events, the majority of Derby events are free admission with a Pegasus Pin. You can find these at local retailers.

Kentucky Mint Julep Mix
Mint Julep Mix
Mint Julep Cups
Mint Julep Glasses

Mint Julep Brownies
1 (21.5 oz.) pkg. fudge brownie mix
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. oil
1 egg
1/2 c. mint chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped pecans
2-3 tbsp. bourbon (optional)
2 c. confectioners’ sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 tbsp. mint jelly or jellied mint sauce with mint leaves
1-3 tsp. milk
Glaze (recipe follows)
Pecan halves & mint leaves (optional garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.

In large bowl, combine brownie mix, water, oil and egg. Beat 50 strokes by hand. Stir in mint chocolate chips and pecans. Spread batter in greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until center is set. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of bourbon over hot brownies if desired. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat confectioners’ sugar, butter, mint jelly and enough milk to bring mixture to spreading consistency. Spread over cooled brownies.

Prepare Glaze: When it’s slightly cool, spoon the glaze over the filling, spreading to cover. Garnish with pecan halves and mint leaves. Store in refrigerator. Makes 36 bars.

Glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 cup mint chocolate chips with 1/4 cup butter, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon bourbon or vanilla. Cool slightly.

Mint Julep Martini

2 parts of orange liqueur
2 parts of Kentucky bourbon
1/4 oz Vanilla Vodka
1/4 oz Peppermint Schnapps

The Kentucky Derby is approaching quickly. It is about that time that you start deciding what events you will grace with your presence. For the next couple of weeks I will be supplying you with updated party locations, times, and ticket prices. If you know of any that you would like to share, please feel free, Louisvillians are not people who turn down a chance to party!!

The three common “must haves”:

•    Food
•    Liquor
•    Gambling

Food:
Bourbon Balls
Derby Pie
Beaten Biscuits and Ham
BBQ Pork
Benedictine
Hot Brown
Burgoo

Liquor:
Mint Juleps
Bourbon
Whiskey

Gambling:
Derby Pot
-if you are able hire a bookie to place bets from party

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• Sprigs of fresh mint
• Crushed ice
• Early Times Kentucky Whisky
• Silver Julep Cups

Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Too many of these is known to make some drive like they never should have received a license. Please drink responsibly!!