Get ready for a new take on the classic mint julep – a White Nectarine Julep with cognac and Lillet, an often overlooked spirit.
White Nectarine Juleps:
Skim this recipe quickly, and you might be surprised to see a glaring omission: bourbon. While Kentucky has popularized drinking mint and bourbon by day, it is not the only combo that qualifies as a Julep. (Although, if the classic is what you’re craving, try my Cheater Mint Juleps.)
According to Liquor.com, “The Mint Julep gained prominence in the southern United States during the 18th century, and it first appeared in print in 1803 in John Davis’ book, Travels of Four and a Half Years in the United States of America. He wrote that the Mint Julep is a ‘dram of spirituous liquor that has mint steeped in it, taken by Virginians of a morning.’ An ice-cold whiskey drink is certainly one way to start your day. Since its creation, the Mint Julep has remained popular, but the julep itself is actually a category of drinks featuring a spirit served over crushed ice.”
With that bit of freedom, I sought an often overlooked spirit, Lillet, and took advantage of the stone fruit season. A simple syrup with wildflower honey and rooibos tea adds a warmed, spiced note to the juicy fruit. The resulting white nectarine julep is light, refreshing, and perhaps, as John Davis would say, quite “spirituous.”
Mix Once, Drink Often:
This white nectarine julep recipe lends itself to batching, so make a big mason jar to sit back and enjoy more of your next summer soiree. Leave the stone fruit to infuse overnight to take full advantage of the freshness of the nectarine season.
You Might Also Like: Frozen Peach Pie Bars with a Graham Cracker Crust
If your farmers market haul is full of stone fruit, as is mine, you might also like these Frozen Peach Pie bars from my book, The Gluten-Free Grains Cookbook. An ode to something my mom made when I was young, my take is an airy, creamy, ice-cream-like filling on top of a homemade graham cracker crust. You can also use the crust recipe to make homemade smores for your summer firepit gatherings.
White Nectarine Juleps
Ingredients
For the Rooibos Tea Syrup:
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup honey
- 6 rooibos tea bags
- 3 rooibos tea bags
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup honey
For the Cocktail:
- 1/2 of an overripe peach, cut into slices
- 1 1/2 ounces rooibos tea syrup
- 1 ½ ounces fresh juice from 1 lemon
- 2 ounces cognac, such as Pierre Ferrand
- 2 ounces Lillet Blanc
- Crushed ice
To Garnish:
- a large bunch of fresh mint
Directions
For the Rooibos Tea Syrup:
- Bring the water and honey to a boil to combine. Remove from heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Let cool before straining and using. Store the syrup in the refrigerator.
For the Cocktail:
- In a mixing glass, muddle peach slices, rooibos syrup, and lemon juice into a rough pulp. Add cognac and Lillet blanc, stir to mix. Pour unstrained into serving glass.
To Serve:
- Fill the serving glass with crushed ice, garnish with a large bunch of mint.
