On May 2, 2015, the 141st Kentucky Derby will be held in Louisville, Kentucky. As this is one of our most-celebrated Southern racing traditions, you should try and make an effort to get there—if not this year, then maybe sometime in the future. But even if you can’t make it to the actual Derby, then catch the spirit with a party. Actually, a case could be made for saying that the Kentucky Derby is a long weekend party interrupted by a two-minute race.So what do you need for a party of this magnitude? Guests are a good place to start. Send out invitations early, and inform your guests of the dress code either formal or casual. Or, if you want authenticity, assign them either as riff-raff or dressed to the nines. And, of course, the ladies should be encouraged to show off their festive spring hats. Set the mood with some music. Download a few of the Derby traditional songs, such as “My Old Kentucky Home,” intermingled with some cool Bluegrass and Jazz, and you are pretty much set. Don’t be afraid to play it loud.Plan a few games to help keep the mood festive up to the race. Short of actual gambling, you can have your guests pick horses to win, place, and show, and whoever comes the closest can take home a bottle of bourbon or champagne or a Derby pie. You can do the same game, but eliminate the handicapping element by having everyone draw his or her picks from a hat. You can also have the ladies enter a hat contest.The beverage of choice for the Derby is most assuredly the Mint Julep. Pitchers of sweet tea and lemonade should also be made available. And, naturally, a champagne toast just before or right after the race is always fitting. And then there is the food. Having a wide variety of food is always a good idea. Brunch and lunch menu items are always welcome, just concentrate on menu items you prepare ahead of time. Ham and biscuits are always a good start, and taste great served with a jam mixed with mustard on the side. Kentucky Hot Browns, open-face sandwiches with turkey, bacon, and a sliced tomato, topped with Mornay sauce, is a great tradition as well. Pickled shrimp or sliced beef tenderloin sandwiches are a good standby as well. Some black-eyed peas and Cole slaw are two side dishes that can almost transport you to Louisville. As many distinguished chefs are invited to create dishes strictly for the Kentucky Derby, traditional food for the party can be that there really is no tradition. So do not be afraid to branch out a bit and stretch your culinary muscles.For dessert, there is Derby Pie, which is nothing more then pecan pie baked with chocolate chips and bourbon. I say “nothing more” like this dessert is no big deal, but the evil genius that came up with this dessert should be in The Confection Hall of Fame.With so much tradition and pageantry associated with the Run for the Roses it should come as no surprise that you easily capture some for your own party.Need a recipe or have an idea for an article? Email me at [email protected].
