How to host a Kentucky Derby Party (with footnotes)

It's that time of year again! Time for the best, the most ridiculous, the most strange, and importantly the most delicious party ever -- a Kentucky Derby party! For those of you¹ who don't know what the Kentucky derby is, let me be your guide. You should totally trust me. I'm an expert².

The Kentucky derby is an event at which people wear awesome hats, eat derby pie, drink mint juleps, and I guess some horses run around a track or something. But, let's be honest, it's really all about the hats and the food.

Hats of Shame. If you come to my party without a hat. Consider this fair warning.

I'm going to give you lots of details about how you, too, can host your own derby party³! But this time I'm afraid it will be details only on the food. You'll have to wait until next year, or whenever I have time again, to learn about the hats and the betting etc.

So. Let's start with the menu. Here's what I recommend.

Start with mint juleps⁴ and benedictine cheese⁵.

Julep fixins, benedictine cheese, and deviled eggs. Also a good addition.

For the main course, I serve hot browns, corn pudding, and dressed cucumbers⁶.

Hot browns. Hungry just looking at them.

And for dessert I serve derby pies and bourbon balls⁷.

Derby pie in jars!!

Delicious! So, I'm going to give you recipes for all of these below (except the derby pie, which rightly deserves its own post). But, because I haven't actually done any cooking yet this year, the post will temporarily be pictureless. Sorry! I'll update as I go.

I'll also include my timetable for getting things done at the end. Some things need to be done in advance, some need to be done last minute. With the timetable your derby prep will be a snap! :)


Footnotes:

¹yankees.
² You should totally trust a person who isn't afraid to humiliate her pets for a good party.

You're welcome.
³Not out of any altruistic motives, but entirely because I have 0 time this year and this will help me organize my tasks. You're welcome for that too.
⁴No one actually likes them. But you have to serve them. Sorry about that.
⁵Heaven in a cheese spread.
⁶You're likely surprised to see all these vegetables. Don't panic. There's sugar and/or cream in all of them.
⁷Except when I accidentally substitute 151 for bourbon and deeply deeply regret my lack of alcohol knowledge.

Mint Juleps 

There are many different ways to make a julep. And there are probably many people out there who will take issue with my method. If you want the traditional recipe, go here. If you want the easy, make ahead version, keep reading.

Make a simple syrup -- this is, shockingly, simple. Mix 1 part boiling water with 2 parts sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then add in some mint. More mint if you're going for a more minty flavor, less mint if you're into subtlety. Chill until you're ready to use (at least over night, at most 48 hours).

Strain the mint leaves out and then, in a cup packed with crushed ice, add 2 parts bourbon to each 1 part simple syrup (1 oz to 1/2 oz is recommended). Stir well and serve with an awesome derby swizzle stick if you have one.

This is traditionally served in a julep cup, and I'm proud to say that this year I have 4 shiny pretty julep cups just for that purpose! Only the first 4 guests will get to use them. Everyone else will have to make do with the always classy red solo cups.

Benedictine Cheese

Oh my god I love this stuff. That is all.

Ingredients: 

16 oz cream cheese, softened

1 large cucumber, peeled and minced 

1 medium onion, minced 

1 t mayo 

1/4 t salt 

Wheat thins or other crackers to eat it with

Drain as much water from the cucumber and onions as you can then squeeze the rest of the water out of it. I recommend a cheesecloth. I used to use a paper towel, but then I realized the wonders of the cheesecloth. If you don't most of the water out your cheese will be watery and gross. Ew. 

Mix the cream cheese in the mixer until it's light and fluffy. Blend in the other ingredients and chill. Again, this can be made in advance. A day or two in advance, and it'll keep a day or two after the party if you're lucky enough to have leftovers! 

Hot Browns (serves 6 big sandwiches, 12 small ones)

Ingredients:

12 slices of toast 

Cooked chicken (I generally get a rotisserie chicken and either cut slices or shred it; also, if you're vegetarian you can do portabello mushrooms) 

12 slices of cooked bacon (if you're vegetarian, asparagus) 

4 oz butter 

6 T flour

3 c milk

6 T grated parmesan (plus extra for sprinkling on top) 

1 egg, beaten 

1 cream, whipped (yes!!!) 

So this is an open faced sandwich -- toast on the bottom, chicken (or mushrooms), parmesan cream sauce, topped with bacon (or asparagus) and broiled until bubbly. So the first thing you need to do is make your cream sauce. 

Melt your butter in a pot on the stove. Add in the flour (I use swan's down in a shaker because it's super fine and makes a great smooth sauce) and stir until it's well absorbed. 

Add in the milk and cheese. 

Now add in the egg and continue to stir (careful not to boil!) until all is well incorporated. 

Remove from the heat and fold in the cream and salt and pepper to taste.

For each sandwich place 2 slices of toast in a dish. You can use a gratin dish, or if you're going to have a lot of people, I recommend these paper loaf pans.If you're making little ones just use one piece of toast.

Put the chicken on top, layer in sauce, and cross with bacon on top. 

Stick it under the broiler for a few minutes, just long enough to make the sauce bubbly and a little brown in spots, but not long enough to set your paper loaf pans on fire.

Corn Pudding

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c whole corn (frozen is best). 

2 large eggs, beaten

1 t salt 

pinch of pepper

2T melted butter

3/4 c cream 

2 T - 1/4 c sugar (less if you have sweet corn) 

1 - 2 shakes of nutmeg 

Mix everything together and toss into a baking dish. Seriously simple. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, stir, and then bake another 20 - 30 minutes until it's nicely browned and the center is set. 

This you can also make the night before and heat up in the oven just before serving.

Dressed Cucumbers

Ingredients: 

2 or 3 cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced (use a food processor, mandolin, something to make it easier)

1 medium onion, sliced thinly in rings

1 bell pepper, sliced

1 c sugar
2/3 c vinegar

1/2 t salt 

1 t mustard seeds

1 t dill seeds 

Mix it all up. Again. Super simple. Chill it at least 24 hours before serving, and every now and then give it a shake to make sure it all gets mixed up well. 

Bourbon Balls

Ingredients: 

2 1/4 c vanilla wafer crumbs

1 c finely chopped pecans 

1/2 c bourbon 

1 c powdered sugar (+ more for rolling)

3 T cocoa powder 

2 T white corn syrup 

Combine the wafers and the nuts and set aside. Put the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well. With your hands! It's way more fun. 

Roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter and roll in the powdered sugar to coat. Try not to eat too many before completing important tasks. They're more potent than they look.

These can be made well in advance -- up to a week. Alcohol is an excellent preservative! 

Kentucky Derby Party Timetable: 

The derby is always on a Saturday, the first in May, so here you go! 

Wednesday: 

     -Grocery / liquor store run!

     -Make bourbon balls 

     -Make derby pies any time -- see my derby pie recipe about freezing and making ahead.

Thursday: 

      -Make julep simple syrup

      -Make the dressed cucumbers 

Friday: 

     -Make the benedictine cheese 

     -Make the corn pudding

Saturday: 

     -Crush ice 

     -Make juleps, put them in the freezer so they're ready when people arrive. Not too far in advance, you don't want julep pops!

     -Make the toast, cook the bacon, make the sauce for the hot browns. Assemble just before the guests arrive so the toast doesn't get soggy. Cook a few minutes before serving the main course. 

     -Reheat the corn pudding

     -Whip cream for the derby pies

And have the best party ever! Enjoy!