December 23rd, 2009
Packard, Maddow and flaming punch
Heads up, drinkbostonians: Josey Packard, one of Boston’s best bartenders, will appear tonight on the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC (9:00 p.m. EST) to mix up a flaming bowl of Christmas Rum Punch. Go, Josey, go!
Regular viewers know that Maddow often closes her political talk show with a bit on cocktails — I recall Dale DeGroff mixing Irish coffees on the set earlier this year. More recently, Maddow shared with her audience an investigative coup: an actual drink menu from one of the Obamas’ regular White House cocktail parties. As you see in the short video segment above, she not only described the cocktails (the Emerson, the Stone Fence and the Frost) but explained some of their ingredients (applejack, maraschino liqueur), named and photographed the bartenders who served them (Derek Brown and Adam Bernbach), pointed out that bartending is an American invention, and signed off with this delicious nugget: “And remember, Martinis do not contain vodka.”
Packard, a friend of Maddow’s who did guest spots about cocktails on the latter’s radio show back in her Air America days, will make a punch recipe adapted from the 1949 edition of Esquire’s Handbook for Hosts, about which Paul Clarke writes humorously on Cocktail Chronicles. I got a live preview at a recent Christmas party as Josey did a (not so) dry run of the flaming punch for the assembled guests. It was very cool, what with all the spices and orange oil making sparks as they were tossed into the bowl. Even the sternest Scrooge would be uplifted by this vessel of flaming goodness.
Watch the show, congratulate Josey the next time you’re at Drink, and have a merry Christmas!
Permalink | Filed under Applejack, Bartenders, Booze in the news, Boston bars, Cocktails, Punch | Tags: flaming Christmas drinks, josey packard, obama, Rachel Maddow, White House
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:18 pm
How very, very cool! Congrats, Josie! Gonna get that one on the DVR.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
And here’s hoping this cocktail moment makes it to the Web…no access to MSNBC while I visit this lovely right-wing household in BNA for Xmas. I think they’ve V-Chipped it.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Ha! I feel your pain, Rob. The episodes do go online, I’m just not sure how soon.
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Finally someone with a decent White Port cocktail!
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:54 pm
Looking forward to this as an inveterate rum aficionado. Will stop by Drink next time in Boston!
Thanks!
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Hooray for Josie! We’ll be watching tonight.
Rachel Maddow has been a tireless advocate of our shared interest in mixed drinks. Very cool of her to give attention and credit to Derek and Adam (who have yet to report what gems they may have found in the White House bar stocks).
For those without cable, MSNBC generally has segments available next day, and does carve out the cocktail moment.
December 24th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Watched that last night. Such a treat!
December 24th, 2009 at 10:33 am
That segment was hilarious! Josey looked awesome and came across cool as a cucumber. The extensive fire brigade standing by was pretty amusing, too. Thanks for pointing that out: I never spend time otherwise with the cable news/commentary shows.
December 24th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Found the link to the segment:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#34581364
Go Josey!
Now I’m thirsty.
December 25th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Lauren and all DrinkBoston readers and contributors. A special thank you to Lauren for a year full of great coverage of all things ‘Drinkable’ on the Boston drinking scene in ’09. I’ve made new friends and strengthened existing relationships as a result of the community that you have fostered here Lauren. Also, thank you for your guidance, advice and referrals (Noah Kuhn-web designer) for my blog. I am grateful for your help.
Here’s to a peaceful, healthy and fulfilling year ahead to everyone.
Sincerely-PM
December 26th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Patrick, you are the sweetest. Thanks so much.
December 26th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Josey did a fantastic job, and the punch looked amazing. Apparently she had to do a preview of the punch for said fire brigade to ensure that the show wouldn’t go up in Christmas flames.
December 28th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
What a great TV moment! It almost makes me want to watch but wouldn’t it just be better to have a cocktail instead???
June 22nd, 2011 at 1:18 pm
“Martini’s do not contain vodka.” lol
Nice article. I enjoyed reading and watching the video. Nice blog too.