A Cocktail Soiree
/The 150th Anniversary of the Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is not just a horse race; its a longstanding tradition that brings together horse racing enthusiasts, fashionistas and partygoers for an unforgettable celebration. It’s the race that kicks off the racing season for our crowd and was especially celebratory this year as it was the 150th anniversary of the Derby.
It was a beautiful evening here in Connecticut. A grand poster from Etsy colorfully displaying the lineup adorned our front door. Jim circulated a hat so that each guest could blindly pick a horse. It was a exhilarating finish with three horses neck and neck! Mystik Dan, Forever Young and Sierra Leone crossed the finish in perfect alignment, with Mystik Dan winning by a stunning photo finish! The winner received a bottle of Woodford Reserve bourbon, a Kentucky Derby classic, and a bouquet of red roses! As you can see she was very excited!
Our 24 guests, men in blazers and ladies in beautiful hats, arrived ready to party and what a party it was! Of course, the photo finish of Mystik Dan added to the excitement! Guests were jumping up and down cheering and clapping….and we loved every minute of it!
Cocktails
The signature drinks of the day were the classic Mint Julep in pewter mint julep cups topped with fresh mint, followed by the Aperol Spritz. We had an open bar with lots of bourbon flowing and a separate wine bar. There was no lack of “spirit”.
Menu
by Palmer’s Market, Darien
Mini Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce (DF) ( 24)
Beet Napoleon with Goat Cheese, Honey and Pistachio (24)
Smoked Salmon Mousse in a Crispy Tater Tot Cup with Dill Sprig (GF) (24)
Three Cheese Arancini ~ Parmesan, Ricotta & Taleggio Risotto Balls w/Marinara (24)
Sausage en croute with Red Pepper Jelly (Love red Pepper Jelly) (24)
Corn & Scallion Fritters with Jalapeno Remoulade Sauce (OMG delicious!) (24)
Pimento Cheese Poppers in Soft Pretzel Cups by Me (24)
Perdue Chicken Poppers (tiny) with Honey Dijon Dipping Sauce (delish!)
Kentucky Hot Brown Ham Sliders on KingHawaii buns with Gouda, Bacon & Pimento
(See Recipe for these below!)
Hot Brown Sliders A Kentucky tradition! This was a bit time consuming, so I suggest making them ahead of time, covering them and popping them in the refrigerator for several hours. (from Blair Lonergan of The Seasoned Mom) with Penny twists!
Ingredients
3 Packages of the King Hawaiian Rolls. (I made 36 of these)
1 package of thin slice Gouda Cheese
Parmesan to Sprinkle on each sandwich
3 small jars of sliced sweet pimento
Mayo
Honey Mustard
36 Pieces of thin sliced crispy bacon
1 lb of Shredded Honey Ham
6 Tablespoons of Light Brown Sugar
3 Sticks of Unsalted Butter
3/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1.5 tspWorcestershire Sauce
Recipe
Place a tiny pile of the shredded ham first
Place a piece of the bacon
Cut the slices of cheese in half and place the half on top, folding the edge in
Place two small slices of pimento criss-crossing each other
Top with a sprinkle of grated parmesan
Smear the top of the slider with honey mustard
Close the sliders and place in 9x12 glass baking dish touching each other (You’ll need two)
Pour the garlic/brown sugar/butter sauce over all of the buns
Cover and place in refrigerator for and hour or two
Remove and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes checking to see that the tops are slightly brown
Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes before serving
Dessert
Assortment of Palmer’s gourmet mini cupcakes
Black and white chocolate chip brownies
The Decor
Our 72 inch round dining room table always plays host to the party buffet. For this special day, I used an elegant gray and beige silk, custom table linen, with a swath of faux green grass down the center. “Let’s get fancy!” was buzzing in my ear. I ordered two 130 inch long rolls of faux grass from Amazon (each 12 inches wide = (24 inches wide), emblematic of Kentucky’s famous green grass. They are very good quality and affordable and will be used for garden parties in the future!
I created a cascading floral arrangement in a large pewter trophy/wine cooler to include lot of green and white florals on branches and white & green French tulips. Red roses in green antique urns were set on each end of the bar. Jim, as you know, is a huge fan of Lalique and has quite a collection gifted to him by his patients and nurses through the years. So out came his favorite horse.
I placed pieces of silver all over the table, including our cherished chalice which I always put on display when I’m using silver as part of the decor.
The tale of our cherished chalice: Jim and I drank our champagne toast from it at our wedding in 1979, each side adorned with our respective monograms. Over the years, we inscribed the monograms of our daughter and her husband for their 2014 wedding, followed by those of our son and his wife in 2015, and most recently our youngest daughter and her husband in 2019. The chalice still bears plenty of space for the monograms of our grandchildren, a testament to our enduring love for tradition!
Creating a tablescape of any kind gets my creative juices going. I have the most fun thinking of the tiniest details…Out came my vintage jockey glasses from Lattice House in Southport, CT. (TIP: Always grab something fun, even if you don’t think you won’t use it. You will.) And as luck would have it, the owners were guests at our party!
Gold was my accent color, highlighted by gold and white striped straws, cocktail napkins from the classic Kentucky Derby site which were ivory with gold horses, each stamped with “150”.
The stirrers ended up being a favorite toy of the evening. Gold horses atop lucite stirrers ended up in every gentleman’s blazer pocket like a pocket square! And last but not least, the toothpicks were adorned with gold balls.
