Slices of citrus and cranberries, rosemary and cinnamon sticks lend a particularly festive air to a large pot of boilo.
Times Leader File Photo
Some makers of homemade boilo keep it in Mason jars.
Times Leader File Photo
Some boilo recipes make use of all sorts of liquor and/or liqueurs, perhaps with the addition of butter.
Times Leader File Photo
The Anthracite Heritage Museum will celebrate the Coal Region’s signature winter drink at its first-ever Boilo Bash, a holiday cocktail party 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13. The museum is also inviting the public to submit their family recipes to a boilo-making competition for a chance to win bragging rights and prizes across several categories.
Boilo is a warm, aromatic blend of citrus, honey, spices, whiskey, and other seasonal ingredients that was introduced to the Coal Region by Eastern European immigrants. It has since become a holiday staple for many local families.
Event highlights include boilo tastings, live music, hors d’oeuvres, basket raffles, and a cash bar. Presale tickets are available at $20 apiece, or $10 for an alcohol-free designated-driver ticket. Attendees can also pre-order coal-themed holiday gifts for pickup at the event. Anthracite-filled stockings and boilo-making kits are available for purchase on the museum website.
The boilo-making competition welcomes both traditional recipes and creative new twists from all boilo enthusiasts. Contestants will prepare their boilo on-site at the museum and present their cocktails to judges and guests. The deadline to sign up is November 29.
Tickets and competition sign-up are available online at www.anthracitemuseum.org/events/boilo. Proceeds from the Boilo Bash will support the Anthracite Heritage Museum and Iron Furnaces Associates, the museum’s nonprofit friends group.
The Anthracite Heritage Museum interprets, collects, and presents the story of hard coal mining and its related industries. It is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, the Commonwealth’s official heritage agency.
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