Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt: The Complete History of Presidential Drinking

by Mark Will-Weber

Overview

Stroll through our country’s memorable moments—from George Washington at Mount Vernon to the days of Prohibition, from impeachment hearings to nuclear weapons negotiations—and discover the role that alcohol played in all of them with Mark Will-Weber’s Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt: The Complete History of Presidential Drinking.

As America transformed from fledgling nation to world power, one element remained constant: alcohol. The eighteenth century saw the Father of His Country distilling whiskey in his backyard. The nineteenth century witnessed the lavish expenses on wine by the Sage of Monticello, Honest Abe’s inclination toward temperance, and the slurred speech of the first president to be impeached. Fast forward to the twentieth century and acquaint yourself with Woodrow Wilson’s namesake whisky, FDR’s affinity for rum swizzles, and Ike's bathtub gin. What concoctions can be found in the White House today? Visit the first lady’s beehives to find out!

In Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt, you’ll learn:

• Which Founding Fathers had distilleries in their backyards
• The teetotalers versus the car-totalers
• Whose expensive tastes in vintages led to bankruptcy
• Which commanders in chief preferred whiskey to whisky
• The 4 C’s: Cointreau, claret, Campari, and cocktails
• The first ladies who heralded the “hair of the dog” and those who vehemently opposed it
• The preferred stemware: snifter or stein?
• Which presidents and staff members abstained, imbibed, or overindulged during Prohibition
• Recipes through the ages: favorites including the Bermuda Rum Swizzle, Missouri Mule, and Obama’s White House Honey Ale

So grab a cocktail and turn the pages of Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt for a unique and entertaining look into the liquor cabinets and the beer refrigerators of the White House. Cheers!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781621572435
Publisher:	Skyhorse Publishing
Publication date:	10/20/2014
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	300
File size:	864 KB

About the Author

A seasoned journalist and magazine editor, Mark Will-Weber is the author of two books in addition to numerous articles, such as his noted historical feature on the Battle of Antietam. Will-Weber is the great-grandson of the Civil War general J. K. Robison, who led the 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry during the end-game campaign leading up to Lee's surrender at Appomattox, and the grandson of Colonel Charles Isiah Faddis, who served in three wars (Mexican Border, World War I, and World War II), was awarded two Purple Hearts and also a Bronze Star, and served as a United States congressman from 1933 to 1942.

Table of Contents

Prologue ix

1 George Washington 1

2 John Adams 13

3 Thomas Jefferson 21

4 James Madison 29

5 James Monroe 37

6 John Quincy Adams 47

7 Andrew Jackson 55

8 Martin Van Buren 65

9 William Henry Harrison 73

10 John Tyler 81

11 James K. Polk 89

12 Zachary Taylor 97

13 Millard Fillmore 105

14 Franklin Pierce 111

15 James Buchanan 117

16 Abraham Lincoln 125

17 Andrew Johnson 133

18 Ulysses S. Grant 143

19 Rutherford B. Hayes 155

20 James Garfield 161

21 Chester A. Arthur 167

22 Grover Cleveland 173

23 Benjamin Harrison 179

24 William McKinley 187

25 Theodore Roosevelt 193

28 William Howard Taft 207

27 Woodrow Wilson 217

28 Warren G. Harding 227

29 Calvin Coolidge 235

30 Herbert Hoover 241

31 Franklin Delano Roosevelt 249

32 Harry S. Truman 259

33 Dwight D. Eisenhower 271

34 John Fitzgerald Kennedy 281

35 Lyndon Baines Johnson 289

36 Richard Milhous Nixon 299

37 Gerald Ford 309

38 James Earl "Jimmy" Carter 317

39 Ronald Reagan 325

40 George H. W. Bosh 335

41 William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton 341

42 George W. Bush 349

43 Barack Obama 359

Acknowledgments 369

Bibliography 371

Index 387

Editorial Reviews

Far too often, what passes for history is nothing more than rehashed, undocumented folklore and myth, and this is especially true with ‘cocktail history.’ Not so with this fine book, Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt. It is well-researched and documented, while also immensely enjoyable to read.”
—Philip Greene, vice president, co-founder, and legal counsel of the Museum of the American Cocktail and author of To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion

“This charming and erudite book is full of surprises. I never dreamed that the presidents were such boozers! Pour yourself a toddy and ponder a vexing question: With which POTUS would you most like to raise a glass? Delightful read.”
—Charlotte Hays, author of When Did White Trash Become the New Normal? and co-author of Being Dead Is No Excuse

“If drinking in presidential politics is no laughing matter, then why did George Washington—as I learned from this book—name his favorite fox hounds ‘Drunkard,’ ‘Tippler,’ and ‘Tipsy’? Mark Will-Weber’s Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt is a fascinating and well-researched tour through the liquor cabinets of America’s chief executives.”
—Michael P. Foley, associate professor at Baylor University and author of Drinking with the Saints: A Sinner’s Guide to a Holy Happy Hour

“What a refreshing elixir Will-Weber serves up to readers. Not the usual stifling presidential history, Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt gives a rare and frequently hilarious glimpse into the tippling habits of our commanders in chief, a topic few have dared to plumb with such depth. Rich with anecdotes and even drink recipes, this outstanding book should be polished off with a raised glass.”
—Tom Lowry, politics editor, CNBC Digital

From the Publisher