The Kentucky Derby is nearly upon us and it is a really big event. So here is a list of essentials for a Kentucky Derby Party. So let’s make it a fun party!

• Mint Juleps-The iconic drink of the Kentucky Derby. May be served in silver cups or order some Derby glasses for more flair.
• Bet slips…after all it is a Horse race. I go out and buy a fist full so everybody has 1 or more so everyone has a chance at holding the winner.
• Red Velvet cake or Cupcakes
• Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
• Fun Hats…Derby Day is a great day to dress in fashionable attire and hats play a big part
• Country Ham and Biscuits
• Buy or print race day guides so everyone feels like they are at the race and can talk knowledgeably about the horses.
• Kentucky Hot Browns
• Bourbon Balls
• Long Island Ice Teas
• Whiskey Sours
• Rose decorations…after all its the run for the Rose’s

The Kentucky Derby takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky. The first Kentucky Derby was run in 1875 in front of approx 10,000 people. The Derby takes place on the first Saturday of May. With the Derby festival being held for the 2 weeks leading up to the race. The Kentucky Derby is also know by a number of phrases such as “the most exciting two minutes in sports” “the fastest two minutes in sports” and “the run for the roses” .

The Kentucky Derby is the first jewel in the triple crown, with the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes being the remaining two races.

The fastest time every recorded for the Kentucky Derby at its modern distance was by Secretariate in 1973 at 1:59 2/5 and was the first sub 2 minute time. The second place horse Sham was also sub 2 minutes just 1/5 of a second behind. Only one other horse Monarchos in 2001 posted a sub 2 minute finish.

Secretariate stands out was on of greatest modern derby horses. Not only did he break the course record to win the derby, he ran each successive quarter mile faster! He became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years an not only set the race record for the Kentucky Derby, but also at the third jewel at the Belmont Stakes. Both records still stand today almost 40 years later!

Mint Julep Recipe

• 1/2 TBSP sugar
• 4-5 mint leaves
• 2 oz Bourbon
• ice – prefer crushed

Muddle or crush sugar and mint leaves together. Add ice and 2 oz of Bourbon and stir until glass is nice and frosty! Garnish with mint.

I generally try to avoid reviewing restaurants but I was particularly excited to check this one out. A brand new restaurant tucked in behind McNeil Street Market which is a fine beer and wine store. Johnny V’s is in Corunna, the somewhat small town and county seat of Shiawassee County.

This is one of those unique recipes. Bacon infused Bourbon is not a staple for mixing cocktails everywhere. It does however taste really good in a number of unique boutique style cocktails.

I have simplified the recipe to make it super easy. Most others out there require cooking bacon and using the rendered fat to flavor the Bourbon. Which is great and cost effective if you are making bacon anyway.

You may still save your bacon fat and follow the same basic process to infuse your Bourbon. Fat from 4 pieces of bacon should be enough and you should give it 3 days to infuse. You will end up with a lot more fat to strain out but it will still taste wonderful.

I realize this is not a recipe for everybody. If your a bacon lover and haven’t tried this you will love it! Let’s face it Bacon is Great in everything!

We just want to make Bacon Bourbon quick, so using the store bought precooked bacon does this with very little mess!

• 1 Fifth of Bourbon
• 3 slices of precooked bacon
• 2 qt container
• 1 funnel
• 1 strainer (or coffee filter or cheese cloth if you don’t have a fine strainer)

Super simple just place bacon in your container and cover with Bourbon. Let sit for 24 hours to infuse the flavors. You may use more or less bacon depending on your taste. After 24 hours place container in freezer for at least 30 minutes. This will solidify any bacon fat so it may be strained out. Using your strainer and funnel pour infused Bourbon back into bottle. Enjoy!

Try this cocktail

• 3 oz bacon bourbon
• 1/2  oz maple syrup
• dash of bitters

Shake and strain serving over ice. Nice twist on the Old Fashioned.

• 2 oz Bacon Bourbon
• 4 oz Apple juice
• 2 oz cream soda

Stir with ice and enjoy!

• 2 oz bourbon
• 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
• dash of bitters
• cherry
• crispy slice of bacon

Shake and strain over ice garnish with cherry and crispy bacon for a breakfast Manhattan!

This process also works great with vodka for bacon flavored bloody marys!

Rhubarb is well known for it’s use in sweets. Interestingly Rhubarb has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. It began reaching Europe in the 14th Century being imported along the Silk Road. Even more amazing is due to the expense of importing from Asia (and probably more perishable than other spices) Rhubarb was much more expensive than Opium, Saffron and Cinnamon. In fact the Merchant Explorer Marco Polo was very interested when he found it being grown and harvested in China.

Rhubarb Mustard

• 4 cups rhubarb diced small
• 1 cup sugar or honey
• 1 cup dijon mustard

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Gently simmer 20-30 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Puree in food processor or blender if desired.

Rhubarb Chutney

• 2 lbs chopped rhubarb
• 1 lbs golden raisins
• 1 lg yellow onion finely diced
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 TBSP Curry powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup vinegar (red wine vinegar or your favorite)

Lightly saute onions until translucent. Add rhubarb and vinegar and simmer 20-30 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and slowly simmer for an hour to 1 1/2 hours stirring occasionally until it has cooked down and has a thick consistency.

Cranberry Rhubarb Compote

• 1lbs Rhubarb
• 1 lbs fresh cranberries (can be adapted for using dried)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water (or wine such as port. Even OJ works well)
• 4 Tbsp minced ginger
• zest from 1 lemon (optional)

Saute ginger lightly in some oil just until you get the aroma. Add all remaining ingredients  and boil about 10 min or until cranberries pop. Simmer for 15 minutes on low heat stirring occasionally.

Port Red Currant Rhubarb Sauce

• 1 cup Ruby Port
• 1 jar Red Currant jelly
• 1 cup rhubarb chopped small
• cornstarch as needed

Bring Ruby Port to a boil, reducing by half and boiling off the alcohol. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook until rhubarb is soft. Thicken as needed with cornstarch. Strain sauce through a fine strainer.

Rhubarb Syrup-Excellent for Cocktails

• 1 lb rhubarb chopped
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water

Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer. Cool and store in a clean container in the refrigerator

Rhubarb Basil Cocktail

• Fresh Basil cut into thin strips
• 3 tbsp Rhubarb syrup
• 1 1/2 oz vodka

Muddle or bruise Basil in the bottom of the glass. Add ice, rhubarb syrup and vodka. Stir or shake. Top off with club soda.

Rhubarb n’ Rye

• 1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey
• 1/2 oz Rhubarb Syrup
• 1/4 oz fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 oz Sweet Vermouth

Stir or shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish as desired.

Strawberry Rhubarb Martini

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 1/2 oz rhubarb syrup
• 1 1/2 pureed strawberries

Shake all ingredients and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Let’s face an awesome steak with a crispy outside and an inside that melts in your mouth. Rich buttery mouth feel and delicious savory flavor is an absolute treat. Definitely one of my favorite meals.

Pick your Pleasure: Choosing a Steak

• GRADE – The grade primarily indicates how well marbled with fat the steak is. I recommend Choice grade beef for best results, although there is value in lesser grades for a more economical meal. The bulk of the good restaurants steaks are of Choice quality. Prime grade is awesome but makes up a very small percentage of all beef and can be hard to find an expensive. Regardless when shopping look for the steak with the best marbling of fat with in the meat and that will be your best buy.
• Angus, Grass fed, Organic- Angus are a specific breed of cattle. To be labeled as such they have to follow specials rules. The most important of which for you to know is that Angus beef is aged for a very specific period of time which means a more tender and flavorful steak. Grass fed free ranging cattle in my opinion have more meat flavor although generally seem to have less fat and marbling but I have seen some really nice steaks. Organic beef has its own set of rules and benefits. Organic and Grass fed beef can vary, so choose a steak that is visibly well marbled.
• Tenderloin Steak, Filet Mignon, Chateubriand-The pricest cut that are generally all muscle. They are the tenderest of steaks but tend to have a mild flavor.
• Rib Steaks, Ribeye, Delmonico-Are basically a Prime Rib cut into steaks. They have a large amount of fat and tend to be juicy and flavorful.
• New York Strip-Is one of my favorite cuts of steak. It has a balance of fat and flavor while being firm and tender.
• T-Bone and Porterhouse-Best of both worlds, Ny Strip on one side and tenderloin on the other. T-bones have a small amount of tenderloin while Porterhouse have a much larger tenderloin.
• Top Sirloin, Tri-Tip-A good value in general they tend to be moderate in flavor and tenderness.

Seasoning

• This is an area of much debate. I like to rub the meat with a head of garlic cut in half a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Some “purists” do not season at all! Chopped fresh herbs are always a nice addition. Whatever your preferences season very well and use high quality ingredients.

Cooking

• Best Method- If you have access to gas burner outside, say on the side of you bbq grill. Heat a cast iron pan smoking hot, add a small amount of peanut oil or grapeseed oil, something with a high smoke point. Sear the steak quickly for just 2-3 min on each side flipping once. You simply cannot do this inside with out filling your house with smoke. This gives you a very flavorful crust on the outside of the steak and a nice medium rare center.
• Saute’- For cooking indoors, especially in the winter. Very much like the process above. You can use any type of pan and you want to get it hot enough to sear the meat but not so hot to fill the house with smoke!
• Grill-Again here you want things as hot as possible and to grill quickly. You may prefer charcoal or gas but a quick sprinkle of wood chips before grilling is a great way to add flavor.

Doneness

• Meat thermometer- Tried and true method that can be difficult on thin steaks. Goverment guidelines over cook steaks in my opinion. I cook Rare 110-1115 degrees Medium Rare 120-125 Medium 130-135 Medium Well 140-145 Well 155-160 degrees.
• Visual cues- In addition you can see a steak going from medium rare to medium as small amounts of blood/juice start to come out of the meat meaning its medium. Cook a little longer for medium well. For a well done steak don’t be afraid to cut into the meat and look for any pink.
• Touch Method- A common way for Chef’s to test doneness. Press on the inside of your thumb and index finger for the softness of medium rare. Now press at the base or heel of the thumb which is firmer for medium. Now press at the base of the hand by the wrist for well done.

1. Seasoning, seasoning, seasoning! Really one of the very simple yet most important elements to making a dish taste great. Complicated dishes with lots of flavors can often mask the lack of seasoning with salt and pepper. A simple dish such as buttered noodles really shows how seasoning makes the difference between ho-hum and great.
2. Technique is one of the hardest skills to learn with out practice. You need to learn how grill, roast, saute, braise for the proper time and temperature. Most foods especially seafood’s become dry and flavorless when over cooked. Technique and a good thermometer can help in this respect. This is especially true with sauteed and grilled items. On the other hand roast and braised items need to be fully cooked until they become tender. Under cooking in these  instances results in tuff chewy food.
3. Love & Care is kind of a mystery ingredient. I believe most of us can relate to dishes we grew up with that were simply amazing. Whether it be you mother, grandmother, father, or granddad. The best and most memorable dish is often a result of taking there time and the amount care and love involved. Many times I have had people recreate a dish from someone’s recipe and the result simply wasn’t the same.
4. Step out of the box- Try learning to tackle a new recipe or cuisine. There are so many wonderful and exotic ingredients from all over the World. Using and trying new ingredients can really stimulate your mind and provide inspiration for new meal ideas. Let’s face it the World is a great big place with varied and wonderful cuisines so try making something new!
5. Use Good Ingredients- Lets face it you can’t build a solid car or skyscraper with crappy steel! So start all your recipes with fresh high quality ingredients. If you want to be a serious foodie/cook consider growing a herb garden. Be it inside or outdoors fresh herbs from your garden is a simple and cost effective way to make better food. A vegetable garden is a big plus, but if your not into all that work the local farmers market is the way to go for fresh ingredients and seasonal variety.

I hope everyone is ready for Valentine’s Day. Share a delicious dinner out on the town or a romantic dinner at home with the one you love. This also means that we are half way through February and hopefully Spring is right around the corner. So while enjoy making soups for the freezer and baking homemade bread. My mind is daydreaming about Spring!

Spring is a great time of year for spinach, peas, asparagus and foraged foods like fiddle head ferns, ramps and the Morel mushroom.

Ramps (wild onions) are one of the first wild foods to appear each Spring in rich maple/beech forests. They are often found in clumps (often along side poison ivy).. I love cooking with these tasty wild onions. The smell of fresh ramps is very sharp and pungent like a strong onion but the flavor mellows with cooking.

Fiddlehead Ferns are another delicacy of spring with a very short season. Often 2 weeks or less locally. They may be eaten raw but I prefer them cooked and tossed in tomato sauce or garlic butter. Another option is to but them in pickle juice to pickle. Almost any recipe for asparagus will work for them.

Morel Mushrooms I consider to be the King of Spring foods in Michigan. April thru May is generally the season in MI. Temperature and moisture play a big roll in when they begin to pop up. Morels, like all wild mushrooms, should be cooked well. For morels on a salad fry them at a lower temperature until crispy. Sauteed or in soup the Morel mushrooms are excellent and do not need to be smothered with other ingredients. Morels can be very expensive to purchase but you can be easily be taught how to find your own.

Spinach is one of the earliest greens of Spring. Excellent in salads (I still love Hot bacon dressing on Spinach) it may also be sauteed quickly and used as a garnish or quick side dish. I personally love adding it to soups.

Peas are another of the earliest vegetables. They tend to be especially sweet when fresh. For an especially good treat add a small amount of softened butter mixed with a little flour and some chopped mint for a refreshing spring side dish.

Asparagus is my all time favorite vegetable and its prolific nature means it can be enjoyed spring through early summer. Michigan has many local producers through out the State so you can enjoy it fresh and delicious! It is awesome cooked and chilled and tossed with a vinaigrette as a salad. It is fabulous vegetable for the grill as well.

Many of these delicious Spring foods will become available soon as there seasons start a month or two sooner in the Southern States. So let’s think Spring!