Two Drinks for Two Spirited "Holidays."
Chris McMillian's Iconic Mint Julep and Natasha David's "Last Call" Margarita
“And down the stretch they come!…”
May kicks off with two spirited “holidays” synonymous with posting up at the bar going down over the next few days. While there will be no revelry or cocktails for me this weekend due to workload, I still wanted to share the recipes for an iconic Mint Julep via New Orleans for your consideration for tomorrow’s run of the Kentucky Derby, and a salty “Last Call” Margarita to shake up on Cinco de Mayo. Whatever you’re up to this weekend, wishing you all the best.
—BTP
Mint Julep
Chris McMillian, Revel Cafe & Bar | New Orleans, Louisiana
In 2019 I had the chance to interview New Orleans bartender Chris McMillian in PUNCH for a story on “Mastering the Mint Julep,” a drink he’s famous for stirring up over the years at Revel Cafe & Bar, often served with a side of performance art, reciting by memory an ode to the drink penned in the 1890s by J. Soule Smith which opens with, “Then comes the zenith of man’s pleasure.