Page 2 of 2 <

Juleps for the Derby? All Bets Are Off.

(By Julia Ewan -- The Washington Post)

Discussion Policy

Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

You can never pack enough ice into a mint julep. There should be just enough room to slide a bar spoon or knife down the side to agitate the drink till the glass frosts. And then you can always add another handful of ice, snow cone style, on top.

Here are some of my other personal rules for drinking -- and debating -- a mint julep:

· A mint julep is an afternoon drink; never drink one after the sun sets.

· A mint julep is to be enjoyed by itself; never try to complicate it by mixing it with food.

· If you're from the South, no one up North will ever make a mint julep the right way (see Henry Clay, above).

"There's a sincerity to this drink," Hewes says. "There's no bells and whistles with a mint julep."

I agree. Which means maybe I'm not as much of a Yankee as I imagine myself to be.

Jason Wilson's Spirits column appears every other week. He can be reached atfood@washpost.com.

< 2