Today's Entertainment

International drinks evoke Christmas for 'Booze Traveler' Maxwell For a lot of people, nothing says Christmas like a nice, tall glass of spiked eggnog. But for Jack Maxwell, South Boston native and the host of Travel Channel's Tuesday series "Booze Traveler," Irish whiskey takes him back. "I grew up in an Irish neighborhood," he says, "which it seemed everybody had (Irish whiskey) out on the counter at Christmas. No matter how well or not well they were doing in life, they'd always have a nice bottle of Irish whiskey – including my great grandmother, who lived to be 101, probably because of all the Irish whiskey nips she took." "I think it was the drink all the time," he says, laughing. "I don't think it was just Christmas." Maxwell, now in his second season as host of the series that takes him around the world in search of the most exotic, tasty and downright strange cocktails, doesn't have much use for eggnog, except around the holidays. And while he's never been on the road filming the series at Christmas – and therefore never got to sample any official Christmas beverages from other countries – he has encountered a few that for him that evoke the holiday. Take, for instance, an Austrian concoction known as zirbinschnaps. "(It) is basically made from the tar of a pine cone," he explains. "And you whirl it around in the water and you put a ton of sugar in it, of course, and it tastes like a liquid Christmas tree. Not just a pine cone, because they put other things in there that they don't tell you about." "And of course it sits there for a long time. It must because that can be very strong – there's a reason we don't eat pine cones for survival. But it's really good and of course, sugar masks a lot of things. But they've been doing it right there forever. And who am I to say? Just because it's different doesn't mean it's strange." What book are you currently reading? "The last book I was reading was 'Illusions' by Richard Bach, which is an old book. He also wrote 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull.' And it's just a beautiful story about how life can kind of be what you want it to be and it's very simply stated. ... A great follow-up to 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull.' " What did you have for dinner last night? "My mother and stepfather cooked a beautiful salmon out on the grill with some risotto and a nice salad. It was really a sweet and simple home-cooked meal, which I die to have on the road." What is your next project? "I hope it's this. I'd love to keep doing 'Booze Traveler.' To see the world and meet people is one of the great things. I didn't make up this quote but I read it somewhere. It said, 'If you don't travel, it's like reading only one page of a book.' And that's so true." When was your last vacation, where and why? "I just got back from a week away in Phoenix, where my folks live – my mother and stepfather and nieces and friends. ... And I got to just chill out with my family and have some home cooking and see the folks, and that to me is the best vacation." Jack Maxwell BY GEORGE DICKIE Page 8 December 21 - 27, 2015 FRUIT BASKETS Order now or stop by for a great selection of gifts on hand 533-6311 1/2 mile West of SR 15 on CR 38 at the Orchard, Goshen, IN OPEN MON.-FRI. 9-5:30; SAT 9-4:00 www.Kerchersorchard.com Apple Cider Pick up a gallon today! Nobody Knows Our Hometown Better! • Carpet • Vinyl • Ceramic Mon.-Fri. 8-5 • Sat. 9-1 65669 US 33 East • Goshen 642-4770 TOLL FREE 1-877-642-4770 Area's Largest Selection of Remnants Large Inventory of Carpet, Laminate, Vinyl, and Luxury Vinyl Tiles! On or Off-Site Catering All Occasions Dine under the glow of gas lanterns Breakfast and Lunch Meals also available Open Tuesday through Saturday OEC Super Buffet 4024 Elkhart Rd Goshen IN 46526 Tel: 574-875-1298 Elk Lunch Monday-Friday 11am-3pm Adult $7.25 Children 2 years old $1.99 3-6 years old $3.50 7-10 years old $5.00 *Saturday Lunch $7.75 Dinner Monday-Friday 3pm-9:30 pm Adult $10.75 Children 2 years old $2.99 3-6 years old $4.50 7-10 years old $6.00 *Sunday Dinner Price ALL DAY $10.75 SENIOR DISCOUNT 10% PRICE

• Cover