Personally, I think the Kentucky Derby grips the American imagination because it combines three universal fantasies:
- wear a fun hat
- drink a fun drink
- have enough money and free time to make a whole weekend out of a two-minute horse race
Makes sense when you think about it, right? Happy Derby weekend. Fun hats for all!
YOU THINK YOU KNOW MINT JULEPS?
Credit: Angela Hansberger/AJC
Credit: Angela Hansberger/AJC
Julep is such a fun word. Juuuu-lep. As it happens, its etymology is one of many fun facts you may not have known about the Kentucky Derby’s signature drink.
🍸 The term has Arabic origins: “Julep” comes from the Arabic “julab” and Persian “gulab,” which refers to a sweet drink made with rosewater. (Rosewater + mint = classic Persian combo.)
🍸 It was considered “medicine” in the 1800s: As Chris Morris,master distiller at Woodford Reserve, told Food & Wine:
“You didn’t have aspirin and other pain medication in those days, so you would make a Mint Julep; bourbon to soothe your aches and pains, sugar to give you some energy, and mint to help open the eyes!”
🍸 It’s popular thanks to (no surprise here) marketing: The classic combo of bourbon, mint and sugar wasn’t so classic before 1999, when Woodford Reserve was named “The Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby.” They needed a signature drink, and the julep Renaissance began.
Oh, and sip it from the bottom!
HOW ZOO ATLANTA SAVES MOUNTAIN GORILLAS
Credit: Courtesy Nick Dauk
Credit: Courtesy Nick Dauk
Did you know Zoo Atlanta’s has served as the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Headquarters for more than 30 years?
- Or that the zoo is home to North America’s largest population of western lowland gorillas?
- Zoo Atlanta participates in all kinds of gorilla research and conservation efforts.
- One research technique is photogrammetry, the process of turning images into 3D models. They use this tech to accurately take measurements of gorillas, and their work helps Fossey Fund researchers duplicate the technique in the wild.
“I hope Zoo Atlanta visitors realize that gorilla conservation works,” said Jodi Carrigan, the zoo’s primate curator. “And they can make a difference for these animals who can’t stand up for themselves.”
🦍 READ MORE: How gorillas connect Atlanta to Uganda
SIPS FROM AROUND THE SOUTH
🦪 Lynnhaven Bay, VA: Ribbed mussels are exploding in numbers along Virginia Beach’s shorelines. They’re no good for eating, but they’re critical for fighting erosion and pollution. One expert says it’s “a wonderful harbinger for the future.” More from WHRO
🫶🏾 Bennettsville, SC: A Marlboro County mom created a “safe space club” so area kids and teens can have a place to share their feelings without judgment. At one meeting, members talked about what makes a good friend and how to handle difficult feelings. It’s one way founder Tanesha Cook is trying to meet kids where they are. More from The Herald-Advocate
🏁 Wetumpka, AL: The sixth annual Elmore County Ability Games was a field day — literally — for the county’s special education students. Along with friendly competitive races, inflatable games and more, things got festive with a pep rally and crowds of cheering volunteers. More from The Wetumpka Herald
🚂 The Gulf Coast: All aboard! One writer takes you along Amtrak’s new Mardi Gras service running between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. The route includes four stops along Coastal Mississippi, revealing charming coastal gems like Bay St. Louis and Pascagoula. More from the AJC
🦅 Auburn, AL: It’s the busy season for the Auburn University Raptor Center, where specialists care for about 200 injured or orphaned raptors a year. Their patients include eagles, owls, hawks, osprey, falcons and other birds of prey. The goal is to rehabilitate each bird and send them back into the wild. More from The Auburn Villager
TELL US SOMETHING GOOD
Is there a cool event we need to know about? Something great happening in your town? Let us know. This is your space, too. SweetTea@ajc.com.
SOUTHERN WISDOM
We work very hard to remind people of just how much rich musical history has come out of our community. I think a lot of times, you know, when people think music, they think national. For us to be able to promote and be storytellers for our legends — whether that's Little Richard, Otis Redding, the Allmans or Jason Aldean — that's our goal.
With a few names, Wheat reminds us just how much musical greatness has come out of Macon, GA, and its surrounding areas. Singer-songwriter Brent Cobb’s South of Atlanta Fest is the latest music celebration to set Macon singing.
Thank you for reading to the very bottom of Sweet Tea! Join us next week by subscribing to the newsletter.🍑
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