The Cocktail Triple Crown

Gerry gives the Black-eyed Susan a thumbs up

Tradition.

The Triple Crown...personally, I like to think of this as something Queen Elizabeth wears when she and Phil are eating dinner off a tray while watching, Downton Abbey.

But Queen E can have a seat at the back of the room, because the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont are everything-Triple Crown. 

Still, there are little jewels to be had in all three races that have nothing to do with horses or diamonds.

Let's talk tradition and the official cocktails of the Triple Crown.

First up:

The Kentucky Derby-Mint Julep

​Mint leaves
Superfine Sugar
Seltzer Water
Crushed Ice
Bourbon

I put my  money on this one to not Win, Place Or Show as a great cocktail. In fact, I bet it may be the worst cocktail ever concocted. So, let's just go ahead and dismiss this one and move on to the next race which has a much more exciting sounding libation.

The Preakness-The Black-eyed Susan

Orange/Pineapple Juice
Vodka
Rum
Orange Liqueur
(Use your own discretion on amounts)
Shake and pour over ice.

Although this is the traditional and official Preakness cocktail, there are several variations when you search for recipes. Named for the flowers comprising the blanket adorning the winning horse, my mates mixed this and that together, using the general recipe as a guide, and it was...delicious. 

Cheering on the gorgeous horses running in the mud at the Preakness this past weekend, the Black-eyed Susan cocktail landed firmly in the Winner's Circle.

Now, cocktail tradition on the final leg of the TC (Triple Crown) gets dicey.

There is always ONE jewel in the crown that just HAS to be loose.

The Belmont-Belmont Jewel

The Belmont, it seems, has refused to stick to tradition. Maybe they get huffy about racing last, but they are all about being rogue when it comes to cocktails.

First they had the White Carnation (vodka, orange schnapps, soda water, orange juice, cream, orange slice) then they switched to the Belmont Breeze (this has too many ingredients to even discuss) and now it is the...

Belmont Jewel

1.5 oz Woodford Reserve Bourbon
2 oz lemonade
1 oz Pomegranate Juice
Orange zest

Shake vigorously with ice and serve in a rocks glass with ice, granish with an orange.

Held in Lamont, New York, on June 11, the Belmont will wrap up the Triple Crown and we may just conjure up one of these jewels.

I am betting it will be the White Carnation in our Winner's Circle.

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