As a thirteen-year veteran of the Houston cocktail scene, Alba Huerta has plenty of classic drinks in her repertoire. These days, however, she is particularly focused on the julep, the cocktail lending its name to her upcoming establishment, set to open this spring. Her antebellum version hews closely to the early-nineteenth-century Southern julep, historically made with cognac and rum instead of bourbon, though hers includes a touch of sorghum syrup in place of simple syrup for an extra hit of flavor.
Drinks
Antebellum Julep
An early-nineteenth-century Southern julep
photo: Jack Thompson
Ingredients
-
8–10 mint leaves
2 bar spoons of sorghum syrup
2 oz. cognac
1/2 oz. Jamaica rum
Mint sprig
Powdered sugar
Preparation
In a julep cup, lightly muddle mint leaves and sorghum syrup. Pour in cognac to rinse off muddler; remove muddler. Fill the cup three-fourths full with crushed ice and stir with a bar spoon. Add a small dome of crushed ice, and pour rum over the top. Garnish with a mint sprig and a dust of powdered sugar.
Recipe from Alba Huerta of Anvil Bar & Refuge and Julep in Houston, Texas.
Related Stories:
Food & Drink
The Grits Stay on the Menu
Other dishes may come and go, but the baked grits at Birmingham’s Highlands Bar & Grill will never change—and that’s just how chef Frank Stitt likes it
Food & Drink
Cheese Grits Cakes
A savory treat for breakfast and beyond from Arnaud’s in New Orleans
Food & Drink
How to Make Classic Shrimp and Grits
Take cues from generations of cooks on Edisto Island, South Carolina: Master this basic recipe, then build on it
Trending Stories:
50
Slideshow
Food & Drink
Forgotten Southern Recipes
From pear salad and tomato pudding to vinegar pie and bacon crackers, we’re more than ready for these old-school classics to make a comeback
19
Slideshow
Arts & Culture
Party Like a Vanderbilt
A new exhibition at the Biltmore in Asheville shows Southern hospitality at its finest
14
Slideshow
Food & Drink
