No one puts as much time, care and thought into Bloody Marys as Mira Castillo, daytime bartender at Daly's Pub in Astoria. Having spent the better part of a decade perfecting her tomato-based libations, Castillo serves up three kinds of $8 Bloody Marys, all made with love and attention by the understated tattooed mixologist. For those with an aversion to piquancy, she makes a Hail Mary that features homemade vodka-infused sun-dried tomatoes. Her medium blend, the Something About Mary, maintains a bold, tangy flavor that lingers on the palate. And her fiery Bloody Maria, made with tequila instead of vodka and garnished with a giant shrimp, will clear the sinuses. But the best part of Castillo's concoctions are their Sunday prices — buy two and get your third free. Treat Castillo well and she'll even throw in a bagel...

Best Bloody Mary found at Daly's Pub in Astoria

Mexican means independence, it seems, for women chefs looking to make a mark in the tough New York dining industry. While the city's high-end restaurants are dominated by alpha males, the fast-rising field of Mexican cuisine has a stronger feminine presence, with many women helming successful Mexican restaurants.

Women chefs shake up Mexican dining

Local bars aren't horsing around when it comes to this year's Kentucky Derby. In honor of next Saturday's 136th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs, watering holes across the boroughs are serving the race's iconic mint julep. While the traditional cocktail muddles spearmint leaves with bourbon, sugar and water, Tipsy Parson restaurant co-owner Tasha Garcia Gibson transforms the Southern classic into a summery frozen treat by blending it into a bourbon slushie with Concord grapes. "Purists might not be fans," she says, "but the end result is really delicious!" Tipsy Parson (156 Ninth Ave., at 20th St.; 212-620-4545) plans to pour bourbon slushies and serve snacks like cucumber finger sandwiches on race day from 3 to 7 p.m. Plenty of other places around town are also offering their own taste of Derby Day fun Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/food/2010/04/30/2010-04-30_sip_a_kentucky_mint_julep_on_derby_day_at_these_ny_bars__or_make_your_own_at_hom.html#ixzz0ne4oRZJa

Where to sip a mint julep on Derby Day

The mint julep, a combination of bourbon, simple syrup (sugar and water) and mint, has been the drink of choice at the Kentucky Derby since its introduction as a 75-cent cocktail at Churchill Downs in 1938. Tens of thousands of mint juleps, at a cost of $9 a pop, are expected to be quaffed down during Saturday's 136th Run for the Roses. Here is a traditional recipe served up at Proof on Main, the signature restaurant at the 21c Museum Hotel in Louisville, for those who won't be a part of the expected 140,000 to attend this year's Derby.

Traditional mint julep