This is a big week for food-adjacent events and celebrations — Friday is Cinco de Mayo, Saturday is the Kentucky Derby and for the anglophiles among us, the Coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, begins Saturday and continues through the weekend culminating with The Big Help Out on Monday (a day of volunteering).
That's quite the combination of events and I struggled with narrowing down which one to write about — commemorating a Mexican battle (margaritas and tacos — my favorite), an American horse race (mint juleps!) or a British monarch's official accession to the throne (uh ... spinach quiche). So maybe it wasn't a three-way struggle.
My mint patch is overflowing with verdant stems that release their heady fragrance with the slightest brush of the hand, and arriving in my inbox was an email about an American Gambler article about the most popular Derby Day dishes in each state that nudged me toward a Kentucky state of mind.
According to the article, pimento cheese is a favorite in Arkansas as well as 10 other states, making it the most popular. Next on the list was Benedictine Spread — a blend of cucumber and cream cheese created by Jennie C. Benedict in Louisville, Ky., at the turn of the 20th century. The spread can be served as a dip or sandwich filling.
Predictably, the mint julep is the most popular cocktail in every state for Derby Day.
You'll want to keep these three warm-weather friendly recipes on hand all summer long.
Benedictine Spread (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
Benedictine Spread
- 1 large English (seedless) cucumber, peeled (see note)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 5 to 6 tablespoons chopped chives or green onion tops
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- Pinch ground red (cayenne) pepper, plus more to taste
- Splash lemon juice
- Dippers such as baby carrots, cucumber sticks, celery sticks, bell pepper strips, radishes, or potato chips, crackers or soft sandwich bread, for serving
Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the cucumber. Wrap in a tea towel or several layers of paper towels and squeeze out excess moisture.
In a food processor, combine the squeezed cucumber, cream cheese, chives (or green onion tops), sour cream, salt, pepper and cayenne. Pulse until well mixed, about 1 minute. Taste and season with more salt, pepper or cayenne as needed. If the mixture tastes a little flat, add a squeeze of lemon juice. Transfer to a serving dish, cover and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Serve with desired dippers or as tea sandwiches (soft bread with the crusts cut off).
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Note: Peeling is not essential, but it is traditional. Leaving a little skin on will help give the spread its signature green color without the need for food coloring.
Recipe adapted from SouthernLiving.com
Pimento Cheese (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Kelly Brant)
Pimento Cheese
- ½ pound sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ pound Monterey Jack cheese
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 (4-ounce) jar pimento, drained OR ½ small red bell pepper OR 3 mini red peppers, roasted, peeled and diced
- 6 tablespoons mayonnaise, or to taste
- Pinch celery seed, plus more to taste
- Dill pickle juice, to taste
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Shred both cheeses using the large holes on a box grater.
Combine shredded cheeses, cream cheese, pimento or diced roasted pepper, mayonnaise and celery seed and a generous teaspoon or so of pickle juice. Mix well. Taste and season with salt, pepper or more pickle juice as needed.
Makes about 3 cups.
If you have fancy silver julep cups and shaved ice, use them. If you don't (I don't), don't let that stop you from making this refreshing, boozy cocktail. A highball glass or even an aluminum cup (my choice) and crushed ice (place it in a zip-close bag, cover the bag with a towel and crush with something heavy like an iron skillet or hammer) will do. After your second or third, you'll forget all about those pretty silver cups.
If you have simple syrup on hand, you can substitute it for the confectioners' sugar and water here.
Mint Julep
- 4 mint leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
- 2 ounces bourbon
- Crushed ice
Muddle the 4 mint leaves, the sugar and 2 teaspoons of water in a cup. Add the bourbon and stir gently. Fill glass to the top with finely crushed ice and stir, adding more ice as necessary, until very chilled — frost will form on the outside of the glass. Top with another sprig of mint for garnish and serve.
Makes 1 drink.