The Scandalous, Dangerous, & Unbelievably True History of the Cocktail Party: A Tale of Manhattans, Marriage, & Murder

The Ramos Gin Fizz. The Sazerac. The Mint Julep. Cocktails can have some great origin stories, but how can you tell  sober fact from tipsy fiction? This week, we're going cold turkey to get the details behind that noble institution of pre-dinner drinking: the cocktail party. Legend (or Wikipedia) says the first cocktail party was held by Mrs. Julius S. Walsh Jr. in 1917 St. Louis. As we'll learn, the real story is *way* more complicated, stretching from Revolutionary America to the swinging 1970s. While Mrs. Walsh may not have invented the cocktail party, her life was full up with martinis, mayhem, and, yes, even murder.   Written & Produced by Laura Carlson Technical Direction by Mike Portt For show notes, cocktail recipes, & more, click here Find on iTunes | Other Players Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices