Chef Mark Kramer’s Menu for Kentucky Derby Day

Here at What To Do, we are always looking for an excuse to party. Kentucky Derby Day is always a great way to start May entertaining. We asked Chef Mark Kramer of Susan Lawrence Gourmet Foods in Chappaqua to give us a menu for a Kentucky Derby party and as usual he was up for the challenge. And for those of you who are as interested in quaffing as dining, Sommelier Derek Todd of Wine Geeks Armonk and craft beer expert Brendon O’Brien of DeCicco’s in Armonk are manning the bar.

Chef Mark Kramer serves up Kentucky Derby Day

Miniature Hot Browns: Cocktail-Sized Hot Brown Open faced Sandwiches with Turkey, Cheese, Bacon & Tomato

Derby Cheese Hat: 
A ribbon-tied two-tier cheese ‘bonnet’ served on a wooden board

Blackened Shrimp Cocktail: Spicy Grilled Shrimp Served Roasted Garlic Dipping Sauce

Bourbon Glazed Roasted Salmon: Roasted on a wooden plank & served with Henry Bain Sauce

Pimento Cheese Spread: Miniature Buttermilk Biscuits

And after the race: Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie and a Mint Julep Cake

A Ginger Julep (and a nice Rosé) from Wine Geeks Armonk’s Sommelier Derek Todd

The quintessential drink for Derby Day is, of course, the Mint Julep. Wine Geeks Armonk suggests a twist on that idea – a Ginger Julep:

2 (or more) sprigs of mint

2 oz Bourbon – We suggest Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon $31.99

1 oz Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur $33.99

1/2 oz lemon juice (approx 1/2 a lemon)

1/2 oz simple syrup

A boat load of crushed ice

Muddle, shake and pour:

Place the mint in the bottom of a cocktail shaker, add crushed ice and muddle.

Add the remaining ingredients and shake vigorously.

Pour over crushed ice and garnish with fresh mint or a lemon wedge.

“For those who prefer wine we definitely suggest rosé. As far as pairing goes, it’s an extremely versatile wine that works with almost anything but would be especially good with both shrimp and salmon. Sancerre rosé is especially crisp and refreshing – Karine Lauverjat Sancerre Rosé 2014 $21.99

Craft Beer here … from DeCicco’s Armonk’s Brendon O’Brien

Miniature Hot Browns: A rich sandwich demands a rich beer. Kentucky’s own Against the Grain brewery makes a fantastic complex beer called Kentucky Ryed Chiquen, a rye amber ale aged in rye whiskey barrels. Loaded with rye spice and whiskey notes, this medium bodied ale is a great pair with a hot brown!

Derby Cheese Hat: You have to respect the classics. A nice Sierra Nevada Pale Ale with its inviting malt and citrus hops is great with cheese. Enough malt to satisfy the classic pairing of an English style pale with cheese, but enough hops to make your palate jump.

Blackened Shrimp Cocktail: I love a nice lean beer with the delicate nature of shrimp. Reach for a Firestone Walker Pivo Pils, whose refined light body has plenty of hops to combat the heat of the pepper spice.

Bourbon Glazed Roast Salmon: Nothing makes me happier than enjoying a rich piece of salmon with a rustic, dry saison. The Bruery’s Saison Rue is my house saison- interesting enough to always drink on its own but divine when paired with earthy, fattier fish filets.

Pimento Cheese: The caviar of the south demands a fantastic beer from the south. Again, I really like Pale Ale’s with cheese, it just reminds me of the Irish and English pubs who would give you a plate of sliced cheese and all the balanced malty suds you could ask for. Try Florida’s Cigar City Invasion Pale Ale for yet another happy cheese and pale ale pairing.

Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie / Mint Julep Cake: Both these decadent desserts would be enhanced with a nice glass of Lagunitas High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout. Roasty notes of coffee and chocolate bounce off the whisky warmth of High West Rye and Bourbon barrels. Let’s get the party started!

Coming soon … World Whiskey Day

More foodie fun here