Tomorrow is the first Saturday of May, which means only one thing: It’s the Kentucky Derby! When I was a kid we always had a party — it is, as far as my dad (and I imagine any Kentuckian) is concerned, one of the most important days of the year — and I have fond memories of the occasion. Here’s your guide to throwing a great Derby Day event:

Drinks: Naturally, you’ll want to serve mint juleps. There are multiple methods to prepare them, but let’s focus on the two main options.

• Option 1 (Traditional Preparation): Muddle mint and sugar together in the bottom of either a silver julep cup or a tall highball glass. Add finely crushed ice and good Kentucky bourbon. Optional: add a bit of water. For a variation on this method, see this now famous letter from 1937 on the subject.
• Option 2 (BBB’s method): Prepare a simple syrup by bringing 1/2-3/4 of a cup of water to a boil, then adding as much sugar as can be dissolved (this is a huge quantity of sugar). To this, add at least two large handfuls of well washed fresh mint. Boil a couple of minutes, then turn off heat. Strain out mint and refrigerate. Fill a glass (again, silver is best) with crushed ice. Pour in bourbon, then syrup to taste, and stir vigorously.
• Note for non-drinkers: the above mint syrup goes marvelously with iced tea or seltzer.
• Extremely important note for everyone: Please note that there is no lime mentioned anywhere. If you put lime in your mint julep, you will make me weep bitter tears. There is a disturbing belief that a mint julep is just a mojito with bourbon instead of rum — this is wrong, wrong, WRONG.

Food: Burgoo is traditional — this is a hearty stew, sometimes made with small game, more often now made with several types of meat. You’ll need to start it cooking several hours (or even the day before, so start tonight!) in advance of when you want to serve it. I remember on Derby Day there would always be a pot bubbling away on the stove. There are a million ways to make burgoo, here’s a nice article on the subject with links to four different recipes for you to try.

Also in the spirit, here is my grandmother’s recipe for oyster spread, which apparently was a regular feature of the Derby Day table when my dad was young:

Smoked Oyster Spread
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 T prepared horseradish
1 T lemon juice
pinch cayenne
1 can baby smoked oysters, drained

Mix the sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, & cayenne together. Gently fold in the oysters, being careful not to smash them up too much. Spread on crackers or those little rye bread slices. Serve with bourbon highballs.

Friendly Wagers are a common feature of Derby Day events, however I can’t comment intelligently on the subject.

That said, Choosing a Horse is an absolute necessity. If you know nothing of racing, you can just do what I always did as a kid and pick the one with the most interesting name. My pick this year is Union Rags.

When the Derby starts, you must stand and remove your hat for the singing of My Old Kentucky Home. This song reminds me of my childhood so much that singing or hearing it still brings a tear to my eye.

Finally, it is important to note that in order to fully experience Derby Day, you must wear a fancy hat. If you don’t already have a BBB hat, it’s obviously too late for this year but styles to look into for next year include the Downing Street and, naturally, the Derby.

If you have any suggestions to add, please post a comment. Who else is celebrating Spring’s High Holy Day tomorrow?