Breeder’s Cup World Championships in Kentucky this November!
Posted on 21. May, 2010 by admin in Uncategorized
Churchill Downs, home to the infamous Kentucky Derby, is hosting the Breeder’s Cup World Championships this year for a record seventh time. Watch the world’s best jockey’s and horses battle it out for two days in 14 championship races, recognised as the ultimate challenge of the Thoroughbred horse’s talent and ability.
Last year’s $25.5 million in total purses earned the Breeders’ Cup the title of richest prize money event in the world and this year it takes place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on the 5th and 6th November 2010.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE THERE?
On Horse Back: Take a tour around Lexington, the ‘Horse Capital of the World’, and visit some of the 450 Thoroughbred, working horse farms in the area. Horseback riding trails are also available including woodland trails with accommodation nearby, guided trails on horseback or wagon and riding lessons on bluegrass farmland. The Kentucky Horse Park, where the WEG is being held, also offers the perfect chance to get close to the horses with horseback riding lessons, pony rides and live horse shows throughout the summer.
Off Horse Back: Visit the Muhammad Ali Centre in Louisville, take a drive along the Bourbon Trail or sample down-home country cooking to Bourbon Cooking Schools. Take a tour of the National Corvette Museum, the largest and most comprehensive non-profit museum ever dedicated to America’s premier sports car, or explore the longest cave system in the world, Mammoth Cave.
The Urban Bourbon Trail
Posted on 12. Oct, 2009 by admin in Highlights
Get your tasting boots on, it’s time to hit the Urban Bourbon Trail, a tour round downtown Louisville’s premier bars and hotels, where the likes of writer Scott F Fitzgerald or the “non-writer” Al Capone took their drinks or where Louisville’s trendsetters kick back.
There’s the Old Seelbach Bar, the 1892 tavern or the lounge bar at Brown’s, redolent of a 1930s movie set, or sample the wares at the in-vogue 21c Museum hotel’s restaurant bar, Proof on Main, or the urban cool bar at Blu.
Grab your Urban Trail passport and tick off the destinations with a stamp, sampling en route some classic bourbons and cocktails, such as the ubiquitous Manhattan or the legendary Mint Julep. Most venues offer tastings and can talk you through the subtle nuances of up to 50 different, and largely distinct bourbons, with most serving up innovative food and snacks, such as the fabled mint julep pancake or bourbon barrel smoked salmon.
OK, you don’t have to finish the whole trail in one go – that would be dangerous, and a waste. Just grab the passport and pick off again whenever you want.
For more details, visit http://www.justaddbourbon.com/planavisit/urbantrail.aspx
Or why not joi the Facebok group http://www.facebook.com/pages/Urban-Bourbon-Trail/62763884459
Kentucky Cocktails
Posted on 04. Oct, 2009 by sarah in Highlights
Get into the Kentucky mood, with these tasty cocktails (remember, drink responsibly, which means don’t forget to add Angostura bitters).
MANHATTAN
‘The King of Cocktails’, apparently, and making a strong comeback. For a sweet version, or much drier drink, vary from 1:1 or 4:1 parts bourbon: sweet vermouth. Shake with ice and strain into a jazzy glass, topped with a glazed mascherano cherry. You can also serve on the rocks in a lowball glass.
MINT JULEP
The official drink of the Kentucky Derby, with 120,000 served at Churchill Downs. It’s similar to a mojito, and usually made from four ingredients: mint, bourbon, sugar and water (Kentucky uses the local spearmint, known as the Kentucky colonel – try not to bruise the mint!). Use 3-6oz of bourbon, 4-6 sprigs of mint. Shave some ice and add sugar and mint to a glass, top off with bourbon and cover again with ice. Stir well.
THE OLD FASHIONED
Thought to be the first cocktail, so old, in fact, it has a glass named after it – the short round 8oz to 12oz Old-Fashioned tumber. Just add sugar, saturate with 2 dashes of angostura bitters, add dash of soda water. Wait until it dissolves then fill glass with ice cubes and add 40c of bourbon. Garnish with a slice of orange, a twist of lemon and two maraschino cherries.
LONG HOT NIGHT
You need 2oz bourbon, 3oz pineapple juice and 3oz cranberry juice. Place a few ice cubes in a highball glass, pour in bourbon, stir, add pineapple and cranberry juice, stir again. Simple!
ITALIAN STALLION
Not one for the faint-hearted this. Mix 1 1/2oz bourbon, 1/2oz sweet vermouth and 1/2oz Campari in a glass, add 1-2 dashes of Angostura bitters, then fill with ice. Shake and strain into glass.