Mint Julep

2 cups water
2 cups white sugar
Fresh Mint
Crushed Ice
Kentucky Bourbon (2 ounces per serving)
Fresh mint leaves, oranges, and cherries for garnish

Syrup:
Combine sugar with water in a 2-qt saucepan. Add enough mint to fill pan loosely. Boil 5 or 6 minutes, or until liquid turns green. Strain syrup and pour into bottle for future use. Refrigerate overnight.

Make a julep by filling a julep cup* or glass with crushed ice, then adding 1 tablespoon of mint syrup and 2 ounces of bourbon (Proportions can be adjusted depending on each person's sweet tooth).
Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost outside of cup or glass. Garnish with Orange, Cherry and One Sprig of Mint. Serve juleps on a silver platter.

NOTES:

Always use premium Kentucky bourbon
Use crushed or shaved ice and pack in cup.
To bruise mint, place in a cup and gently pass the back of a spoon between cup and the leaves a time or two. You want the mint to release some of the fragrant oils.
Add a straw cut to protrude just above the rim of the cup and serve. You should be able to get a faint whiff of the mint sprig when you're sipping.
Keep the covered syrup in the refrigerator (after removing the mint leaves) if you don't plan on drinking all the servings. Enjoy later....

*a julep cup is a small silver cup with straight sides