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Peter Luger Steak House, perennially rated the best steak house in New York by Zagat's, has been serving the finest USDA Prime steaks since 1887, when it was established as Carl Luger's Cafe, Billiards and Bowling Alley in the predominantly German neighborhood under the Williamsburg Bridge. In 1950, Sol Formon bought the restaurant in an auction. Today, his granddaughter, Jody Storch, has the job of buying the meat for the restaurant.

The selection process begins with fresh sides of beef that usually come from the Midwest. The section of beef used is called the short loin. Only those cattle graded PRIME by the United States Agriculture Department are even considered. It is then important to examine the color, fat conformation and bones. The color must be pink with an even conformation of fat dispersed, or marbling, throughout. If selected, the loin is brought back to the premises of the restaurant where the dry aging process begins, sitting in a temperature controlled cooler where air circulates around them. After the meat is properly aged, it is butchered and brought up to the kitchen for broiling.

Peter Luger only accepts cash and the Peter Luger credit card. Its decor can be described as a timeless beer hall, with wooden bar, weathered wooden tables, brass chandeliers, burnished oak wainscoting, and exposed wooden beams. The menu is sparse, with just about everyone ordering the porterhouse steak for 1 to 4, pairing it with shrimp cocktail, a beefsteak tomoato and onion salad (served with their famous steak sauce), German fries, and creamed spinach. Since the steaks are served rare, the plates are heated to 400 degrees Farenheit, allowing diners to further cook their meat.

The Mint Julep
I imagine to me a Mint Julep instantly evokes visions of Plantation Homes of old during the swelter of Summer, maybe a table underneath Spanish Moss-draped Live Oaks, and a glistening silver cup, beaded with sweat and garnished with an emerald sprig of mint. Ah, what could be more refreshing than that.

The Mint Julep Recipe

6 Fresh Mint Leaves
1 Tbsp Simple Syrup (See Note *)
2 oz. Bourbon (I like Maker's Mark)
Crushed Ice (See Note **)
Wooden Spoon
Rocks Glass (use a silver cup if you have one!)

Combine the mint and simple syrup in the bottom of the glass. Using the handle end of the spoon, smash the leaves into the simple syrup (muddle). Add the Bourbon, then the top with lots of crushed ice, stir, trying to keep the mint leaves on the bottom of the glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.

*Note - Simple Syrup is equal parts (by volume) water and sugar, cooked just until the sugar disolves. I make a 1 Cup batch and keep it in a squeeze bottle in the refrigerator.

**Note - It's important to use Crushed Ice, it keeps the mint on the bottom of the glass while you're sipping.

Makes 1 Cocktail