In her book Derby 101 (Butler; $22.95), Sarah Fritschner, who is well aware of the Derby Pie trademark, is careful when describing this dessert: "This recipe resembles the chocolate-nut pie associated with Derby time in Louisville."

Derby Squares

PASTRY CRUST

2 cups flour

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

TOPPING

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla or 2 tablespoons bourbon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels (6 ounces)

1 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. For crust, mix flour, sugar and butter in bowl, beating until evenly blended. Pat into 9-by-13-inch baking pan and bake 10 minutes.

For filling, beat butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and salt and beat to blend. Stir in chips and nuts and pour over crust. Bake 30 minutes, or until center is set. Cool and cut into squares. Makes 30 squares.

Benedictine

8 ounces cream cheese

1 medium cucumber

2 to 3 teaspoons finely grated onion

Dash cayenne

1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Mayonnaise

Beat cheese with mixer until smooth. Peel cucumber and put half in blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Add to cheese and beat until smooth. Add grated onion to taste and blend.

Taste and add more cucumber if needed to make benedictine spreadable. Add cayenne and salt to taste, and enough mayonnaise to achieve desired texture. Serve as sandwich spread or dip. Makes about 11/4 cups.

Derby 101

This may be the best way to make mint juleps for a crowd, from Bill Samuels, president of Maker's Mark.

Bill Samuels' Mint Julep

Fresh mint

About 4 cups bourbon

1 cup spring or distilled water

1 cup granulated sugar

Confectioners' sugar

Strip about 40 small mint leaves from stems. Wash and place leaves in a small bowl. Cover mint with 3 ounces bourbon. Allow the leaves to soak 15 minutes. Gather mint in clean cheesecloth or cotton cloth and wring the mint bundle over the bowl. Dip leaves back into whiskey and repeat several times. Set bowl aside and discard mint bundle.

To make simple syrup, mix 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup distilled water in pan. Over medium heat, stir to dissolve sugar. Set syrup aside to cool.

Pour 31/2 cups bourbon into large bowl or pitcher. Add 1 cup simple syrup. Begin adding mint extract 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir and taste before adding another tablespoon. Depending on the potency of the mint, you may need as many as 3 tablespoons of mint extract. (The tendency is to add too much.) Cover and refrigerate julep mixture for at least 24 hours to marry flavors.

To serve, fill each cup half full with shaved ice. Insert a sprig of mint, then pack in more ice to about 1 inch over top of cup. Then insert straw cut to 1 inch above the top of the cup.

When frost forms on the outside of cup, pour refrigerated julep mixture over the ice and add a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar to the top of the ice. Makes about 10 juleps.

My Autobiography (Saber Publishing; $29.95)